DMC is OPEN for E-Visits and Car-Side Care!
REMINDER: IF YOU SUSPECT EXPOSURE TO COVID-19 AND HAVE FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS, PLEASE QUARANTINE YOURSELF AND CALL US AT 603-537-1300 FOR INSTRUCTIONS.
Read below to learn about e-visits and Car-Side Care. Scroll down for links to important resources and FAQs on Covid-19.
DMC is Now Offering E-Visits with Our Providers.
Providing patient access to healthcare is a critical part of DMC’s mission, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. We are now offering E-visits to our patients.
An E-visit can be a phone call or “face-to-face” video chat with a provider. As a DMC patient, you can call our main number at 603-537-1300 to request an E-visit appointment.
Please be sure to have your insurance information on hand when you call and let our representatives know if you have had a change in insurance since your last visit.
At this time, all patients are being screened for symptoms such as fever, cough and difficulty breathing when they call. If an E-visit is scheduled, you will be asked to provide a phone number so that a DMC provider can call you back. Telemedicine visits allow evaluation and diagnosis of most primary care concerns. If COVID-19 testing is deemed appropriate by your provider, you will receive instructions for DMC drive up COVID-19 testing protocol.
If, during your E-visit, your provider determines that you need to be seen in person for a non-COVID-19-related visit, you will receive an appointment for DMC Car-Side Care. Examples of Car-Side Care services include stitches, injections and wound care. An appointment is necessary for Car-Side Care and you will be required to provide identification upon arrival.
Q: Do I need a smart phone to do an E-visit?
A: No! An E-visit with your provider can be as simple as a phone call. A device that is connected to the internet is required for a video visit. This device can be any type of smart phone or a computer with a web cam and microphone.
Q: Will my E-visit be with my PCP?
A: For non-urgent appointments, we are happy to schedule you with your PCP or other provider of your choice. For more urgent or acute E-visits, you will be scheduled with a provider that is available for E-visits at the time of your appointment. If your PCP is one of those providers, we are happy to schedule you with them.
Q: How long after I call will my E-visit occur?
A: With some exceptions, most telemedicine visits occur between 30 minutes and two hours of calling for an urgent visit and non-urgent visit times vary.
Q: Are there any circumstances in which an E-visit won’t work?
A: Yes. Some circumstances require an office visit, such as a routine physical exam. Other needs such as immunizations and urgent care situations (such as stitches) may require a Car-Side Care visit, however, an e-visit with your primary care provider is required first.
Q: What if my provider isn’t able to evaluate or diagnose me during my E-Visit?
A: If, during your E-visit, your provider determines that you need to be seen in person, additional arrangements will be made at that time. This includes Car-Side Care.
Q: What if I don’t get a call from my provider at my appointment time?
A: If you don’t hear from your provider right at your appointment time, please be patient. They will call as soon as they are able to do so, usually within just a few minutes.
Q: Will I receive a bill for my E-visit?
A: A telemedicine visit is billed the same way as an office visit. You will be responsible for your co-pay and any out of pocket costs required by your insurance company. In most cases, DMC submits a claim to your insurance company.
Q: Can non-DMC patients schedule E-visits?
A: We are always welcoming new patients. Please call our main number at 603-537-1300 to learn how to establish care with DMC.
DMC is in frequent contact with the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the State of New Hampshire so that we can stay up to date on COVID-19 developments and continue to put measures in place to keep both our patients and our healthcare workers safe and healthy.
If you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms, call us at 603-537-1300.
Most Common COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) Symptoms:
–> Fever
–> Cough
–> Difficulty Breathing
If you have the above symptoms, please stay at home and call DMC at 603-537-1300. A patient representative will take your information and have a healthcare provider contact you to discuss next steps.
If you believe your symptoms are life threatening, go to the nearest hospital emergency department. We recommend that you call the emergency department immediately so the staff can provide you with arrival instructions.
COVID-19 Resources
CDC Website on Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19)
CDC: Steps to Prevent Illness (Spanish)
CDC: What to do if you are sick?
CDC: Hand Washing Tips
CDC: Symptoms
NH Division of Health and Human Services
COVID-19 FAQs
What is coronavirus/COVID-19?
COVID-19 is a new variant of a common family of viruses called coronaviruses. These viruses typically cause respiratory tract infections ranging from the common cold to more serious illnesses, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). Though most commonly found in animals like cattle, cats and bats, some coronaviruses can infect and spread between humans, such as COVID-19 and SARS.
How is it transmitted?
Just like the flu, the coronavirus is spread through coughing, sneezing and close personal contact with other people.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms related to COVID-19/coronavirus infection range from mild to severe respiratory symptoms. Most patients have fever, cough and body aches. In more severe infections, symptoms may include shortness of breath and/or pneumonia. Symptoms typically appear between two and fourteen days after exposure to an infected person.
How can I prepare?
The COVID-19/coronavirus risk should be managed like other potential disruptions to your daily activities: Prepare for the worst and hope for the best. Make sure you have at least a two-week supply of critical medications and supplies necessary for good hygiene.
What is the current risk assessment?
- Healthcare workers caring for patients with COVID-19 are at elevated risk of exposure.
- Close contacts of persons with COVID-19 also at elevated risk of exposure.
The CDC has issued guidance to help with risk assessment and management of people with potential exposures to COVID-19.
Learn how to protect yourself.
What treatments are available?
There are currently no medications or vaccines approved for the treatment of COVID-19. A National Institute of Health (NIH) randomized and controlled clinical trial of a medication for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the U.S. was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), but is not available to the public. In the absence of a vaccine or medication, good hygiene practices remain the primary method to address wide-spread transmission and supportive care remains the only medical treatment.
How can I protect myself?
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend avoiding international travel and practicing good hygiene in the same way you would protect yourself against the flu:
- Stay home if you can, to help “flatten the curve”.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue and then throw the tissue in the trash.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
Who is considered to be at high-risk for severe illness from COVID-19?
- People aged 65 years and older
- People who live in a nursing home or long-term care facility
- People of all ages with underlying medical conditions, particularly if not well controlled, including:
- People with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma
- People who have serious heart conditions
- People who are immunocompromised
- Many conditions can cause a person to be immunocompromised, including cancer treatment, smoking, bone marrow or organ transplantation, immune deficiencies, poorly controlled HIV or AIDS, and prolonged use of corticosteroids and other immune weakening medications
- People with severe obesity (body mass index [BMI] ≥40)
- People with diabetes
- People with chronic kidney disease undergoing dialysis
- People with liver disease
- People who are pregnant should be monitored since they are known to be at risk with severe viral illness, however, to date data on COVID-19 has not shown increased risk
Updated 4/6/20