Overview
Belmar will offer ideas of support to assist prescribers as daily practice models evolve during the COVID-19 pandemic. Belmar will provide strategies for managing patient appointments, bridge therapy alternatives for pellet patients, and continued operational support as Belmar and its prescribers navigate through this unprecedented time. As medical offices learn to adjust daily operations for employee and patient safety, Belmar is learning how prescribers are altering office protocols to maintain a functional operational balance to provide successful patient care. Through
collaboration with physicians and internal team members, Belmar has compiled a list of suggestions to support and maintain your patient interactions during this time. At the end of this article you will find a list of helpful resources.
1. Increase Digital Communication
Two great resources during this time are email and social media. As more Americans decide to stay home by choice or by government shelter-in-place orders, now is an opportune time to utilize email and social media outlets to
communicate operational changes and to remind patients to practice good hand-washing hygiene, stay hydrated, and take supplements to maintain his or her health. This potentially could open a door for you to tactfully and respectfully let your patients know you offer IVs, vitamin injections, and other medicines to promote a healthier immune system. Belmar serves thousands of practitioners all over the country and some of the best digital marketing we’ve seen from our customers have included:
- Daily Facebook Live or Instagram Live videos with tips on boosting immune support, general health tips, clarifying rumors about COVID-19, suggestions for refilling prescriptions sooner and for longer durations when possible.
- Emails letting patients know what to expect in the coming weeks. Even if you are unsure if you will close your office temporarily, continue to communicate with your patients. Above all avoid writing to your patients and telling them you are closing and don’t know when you are opening again. That will create fear and anxiety,
especially for pellet patients worried about their next insertion. Remember, patients look to you to be calm, organized, and truthful. - Emails inviting patients to continue their treatment using telemedicine.
2. Leverage Telemedicine and Prescribing Medications
As more cases of COVID-19 emerge throughout the United States, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) is encouraging communities, including first responders, healthcare providers, and health systems to take advantage of the benefits offered by telehealth tools to help triage and direct patients to the right level of care. In hopes of limiting coronavirus
spread, the U.S. government has lifted restrictions on telemedicine services, allowing you more flexibility in how you treat your patients and preventing the spread of the novel coronavirus. Many Belmar prescribers have opted for the telemedicine route, either by offering more telephone consultations or by implementing one-on-one video consultations. This allows prescribers to consult and prescribe medications based on these visits, including controlled substances.
According to the DEA website, “On January 31, 2020, Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar declared a public health emergency in response to COVID-19. Following his announcement, DEA worked in consultation with HHS to allows DEA–registered practitioners to begin issuing prescriptions for controlled substances to patients for whom
they have not conducted an in-person medical evaluation. DEA-registered practitioners may continue this telemedicine practice for as long as the designation is in effect, if all required conditions are met:
- The prescription is issued for a legitimate medical purpose by a practitioner in the usual course of his/her professional practice
- The telemedicine communication is conducted using an audio-visual, real-time, two-way interactive communication system
- The practitioner is acting in accordance with applicable Federal and State law
Provided the practitioner satisfies these requirements, the practitioner may issue the prescription using any of the
methods of prescribing currently available adhering to DEA regulations, including issuing a prescription electronically or
by calling in a prescription to the pharmacy.
3. Practice Social Distancing In Your Office
As social distancing becomes part of our current daily life we are seeing strategies such as:
- Staggering in-person visits such as pellet insertion appointments, to avoid patients congregating in waiting rooms and prevent the spread of the coronavirus and protect staff and patients.
- Taking the temperature of every patient before they enter the waiting room
- Large offices are making sure key staffers are not working at the same time to avoid possible transmission of any illness
- Keep your staff at least 6 feet away from one another at all times
- Keep your office door locked and be mindful of shipping deliveries, food deliveries, etc.
4. Write Prescription Refills For Longer Periods When Possible
If possible, consult patients to refill hormone for a longer period. The pharmacy will remain open if the State of Colorado enacts a shelter-in-place order for residents. Although the pharmacy will remain open, Belmar cannot control a disruption in the shipping industry if one was to occur due to COVID-19. Accelerating refills in accordance to law may be good practice during this time. You may also want to order 20% more pellets on your next order to ensure you have ample supply in case we suffer disruptions in shipping.
5. Take Time for Self-Improvement
Most of us have more downtime as we spend more time at home. Anti-aging therapy is well positioned at this time. Hormones can help with improving immunity systems. Use this time to take an online class to learn more about Bio-Identical Hormone Replacement. Belmar has several educational resources for you to access.
Resources
Belmar Pharmacy | www.belmarpharmacy.com
Our clinicians page contains published papers on a variety of BHRT subjects. Belmar’s team of knowledgeable Solution Engineers will help connect you to the medication and resources you need to grow your practice and support your patient base. If you would like directed to a Solutions Engineer, email us at [email protected]
DEA Regarding Telemedicine & Prescribing Controlled Substances
https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2020/03/20/deas-response-covid-19
Email Marketing
www.mailchimp.com
www.constantcontact.com
Social Media
Facebook and Instagram
Hormone Training
Hormonal Health Institute for self-guided and live distance training. www.hormonalhealthinstitute.com
