INFORMATION ON COVID-19
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD), along with local infectious disease specialists, are working tirelessly to stem the novel Corona virus pandemic in our county. To do this requires social distancing (i.e, 6 feet) to minimize exposure, wearing of face masks and testing for the virus in the population. Unfortunately we are still not able to test patients as often as we would like due to a continued shortage of test kits.
With this in mind the SBCPHD has developed a Testing Triage Tool to better identify those that should be tested. This includes immediate testing (“Tier 1”) of those symptomatic people living in close quarters like skilled nursing facilities, shelters, jails, and other long-term care facilities. It also includes testing symptomatic health care workers, home caregivers and first responders as well as hospitalized patients.
For all others (“Tier 2 and Tier 3”), testing should be considered only if certain criteria are met including answering YES to the following questions:
If you do answer yes to any of the questions then contact your health care provider for further instructions. They will want to know if:
Other causes of symptoms (like influenza) will need to be ruled out prior to COVID-19 testing. And results may not be available for several days.
Santa Ynez Valley Medical Associates will remain open throughout these difficult times though may shorten their hours depending on demand. We also offer Telemedicine appointments via Skype and FaceTime to those who choose not to come to the office for an appointment.
Please go to the SBPHD website (www.countyofsb.org/phd/dcp/home.sbc) for the latest, up-to-date information as recommendation may change.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department (SBCPHD), along with local infectious disease specialists, are working tirelessly to stem the novel Corona virus pandemic in our county. To do this requires social distancing (i.e, 6 feet) to minimize exposure, wearing of face masks and testing for the virus in the population. Unfortunately we are still not able to test patients as often as we would like due to a continued shortage of test kits.
With this in mind the SBCPHD has developed a Testing Triage Tool to better identify those that should be tested. This includes immediate testing (“Tier 1”) of those symptomatic people living in close quarters like skilled nursing facilities, shelters, jails, and other long-term care facilities. It also includes testing symptomatic health care workers, home caregivers and first responders as well as hospitalized patients.
For all others (“Tier 2 and Tier 3”), testing should be considered only if certain criteria are met including answering YES to the following questions:
- Do you have a fever of 100.4F or higher?
- Do you have a new cough?
- Do you have new shortness of breath or pain with taking a deep breath?
- Do you have gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting or abdominal pain?
If you do answer yes to any of the questions then contact your health care provider for further instructions. They will want to know if:
- You’ve had close contact with a person with documented COVID-19 infection.
- If you are 60 years of age or older
- If you have underlying chronic lung disease (like COPD, asthma, fibrosis, etc.)
- If you have cancer, strokes, diabetes, chronic heart disease or have a weakened immune system
Other causes of symptoms (like influenza) will need to be ruled out prior to COVID-19 testing. And results may not be available for several days.
Santa Ynez Valley Medical Associates will remain open throughout these difficult times though may shorten their hours depending on demand. We also offer Telemedicine appointments via Skype and FaceTime to those who choose not to come to the office for an appointment.
Please go to the SBPHD website (www.countyofsb.org/phd/dcp/home.sbc) for the latest, up-to-date information as recommendation may change.
Committed To Your health
Since 1999, Santa Ynez Valley Medical Associates has maintained a reputation of caring for patients in the Santa Ynez Valley and the surrounding area. Our team of Board Certified Internal Medicine physicians is committed to providing outstanding, quality medical care for our patients.
24/7 Online Access Your Health Information
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We would like to introduce the newest addition to our office—FollowMyHealth, a secure, online portal that gives you access to your health information at any time from wherever you may be.
• Save time—request prescription refills and appointments online • Review your medical records—including test and lab results—in a safe, secure environment • Keep your care up-to-date—add new medications, allergies, conditions and more • Manage your family’s health—create proxy accounts for children or dependent adults • Set and track goals—add your wellness goals and track your progress • 24/7 access from any computer, smartphone or tablet |
