Coronavirus
Important Information about Coronavirus (COVID-19)
Axia Women’s Health is committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our patients, clinicians, and employees, particularly among the recent concern and outbreak of the COVID-19 virus. We are continuing to respond to the latest guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Department of Public Health from each state, which are closely monitoring the outbreak of the COVID-19.
Impact of COVID-19 on Your Care
March 19, 2020 – At this time, the Federal government has recommended a pause in all elective and non-essential health services, which includes several of Axia Women’s Health services.
Our providers will continue to care for our pregnant patients, as prenatal care is essential and of the utmost importance to both mother and baby. Postoperative and emergency GYN appointments can be scheduled as well. Elective surgeries will be postponed to ensure our hospital partners can focus on the health crisis at hand.
Unsure if your concern or appointment qualifies as “essential or elective?” Please contact your care center to speak with a triage nurse and discuss your situation.
Please know that this new guideline is a preventive measure to contribute to social distancing and limit potential COVID-19 exposure for our patients and staff. This does not change our dedication to serving our patients, but instead reflects our commitment to ensure their safety. As a network of caring, connected, progressive health care professionals, we are proud to put women first and prioritize the health of our community.
If you currently have a non-essential visit scheduled in the near future, such as your annual wellness exam or mammogram, this visit should be rescheduled, and our staff will be contacting you to do so.
Telemedicine Coming Soon
To improve access to care during this difficult time, we will be launching telemedicine very soon as an opportunity to help complete appointments without risking patient exposure. Telemedicine allows patients to connect via videoconference (from computer, tablet, or phone) from the comfort of their home, in order to complete a remote appointment with a provider. We will be sharing updates on this initiative as it becomes available.
If you have any questions about your care, please don’t hesitate to contact your local Axia Women’s Health care center. We are still here for you throughout this pandemic. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience, and look forward to serving your health and wellness needs in the coming weeks, as recommended restrictions are lifted.
In-office Guidelines & Preventive Measures
Across our network, Axia Women’s Health is implementing safety precautions to help limit the spread of COVID-19 during essential patient visits. These preventative measures include the following, but may change at any time, given the fluid nature of the outbreak:
- Reviewing COVID-19 screening questions for all patients and visitors to our offices. Anyone who fails the screening will not be allowed entry to our offices. Special arrangements will be made for OB patients.
- In many of our care centers, visitors are being strictly limited. Most are limiting to one visitor, and some are limited to no visitors with the patient. Call your care center to find out more. (Please also note that many of our hospital partners are also enacting visitor limitations and restrictions that may be more restrictive. If your care center is located within a hospital, you may be subject to these limitations ahead of ours. Additionally, if you are due to deliver your baby in the near future, please check your hospital’s website for more information. For your convenience, we’ve provided several links at the bottom of this page).
- Non-essential procedures will not be performed on patients known or suspected to have COVID-19.
- We are working with our referring providers to request they do not send patients known or suspected of having the COVID-19 virus to any of our offices.
- Additionally – and as always – our staff is taking measures to ensure thorough disinfecting of surfaces between all patients, and we continue to wash our hands frequently; any staff members who are not feeling well are asked to remain at home
Tips for Prevention
The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed. There are simple everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of any respiratory viruses. These include:
- There is still time to get a flu shot. This is strongly suggested, as the flu season is still here and the symptoms are very similar.
- Make sure to wash your hands continuously for 20 seconds and keep hands away from your face; avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home if you are sick!
- Always cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in your home using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
Additional Information and Resources
The CDC believes the virus may appear between 2-14 days after exposure. There is no vaccine and treatment is supportive. The virus is spread person to person mainly by respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes. This is similar to other respiratory pathogens like influenza.
For more information, visit:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Official Information on COVID-19
- American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Official Practice Advisory on Novel Coronavirus
Hospital Resources and Guidelines
Many of the hospitals that we deliver at have instituted new guidelines and protocols to reduce exposure and limit the spread of COVID-19, particularly in the Labor & Delivery Units. Below are links to some of these hospitals’ dedicated COVID-19 pages. If you do not see your hospital here, please visit their website directly to understand their policies.
- Clara Maass Medical Center
- Saint Barnabas Medical Center
- Monmouth Medical Center
- Robert Wood Johnson New Brunswick
- Cooper University Hospital
- Albert Einstein Medical Center
- Einstein Medical Center Montgomery
- Abington – Lansdale Hospital
- Abington Memorial Hospital
- Aria Health
- Jefferson Washington Township Hospital
- Kennedy Health System
- Bryn Mawr Hospital
- Lankenau Medical Center
- Paoli Hospital
- Riddle Hospital
- Pottstown Hospital
- Phoenixville Hospital
- Hackensack Meridian Health
- Riverview Medical Center
Southern Ocean County Hospital
St. Peters University Hospital
- Virtua Voorhees
- Virtua Memorial
- Summit Surgical Center
Axia Women’s Health will continue monitoring and preparing to meet the current challenge in order to ensure our patients receive the quality of care they deserve.
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