THIS PAGE WILL BE UPDATED AS NEEDED.
At Georgia Neurosurgical Institute (GNI), there is nothing more important than the health and well-being of our patients and employees; we are also concerned about the Middle Georgia community as a whole during this unprecedented time. We understand the mental and physical toll that is impacting our daily lives as we battle the uncertainty of the coronavirus pandemic, and we want to provide you with additional details to give you peace of mind should you require our service.
Please refer to the following Q & A, and do not hesitate to call us at 478-743-7092 if you have additional concerns or questions.
FAQ’s
Q: IS GNI OPEN AND SEEING PATIENTS?
A: Yes, we are open. The conditions that we treat here at GNI are of utmost importance, and your neurosurgical health needs to be followed and maintained.
Q: IS IT SAFE FOR ME TO KEEP MY APPOINTMENT? WHAT ADDITIONAL STEPS IS GNI TAKING TO ADDRESS MY HEALTH CONCERNS?
A: In accordance with CDC guidelines, GNI is following best practices to provide you and our employees with a safe environment.
• Increased cleaning in our offices, waiting, and exam rooms. We are paying close attention to areas that are touched frequently, such as doorknobs.
• Placement of hand sanitizer stations throughout the office.
• We are following strict hand washing protocols for all employees.
• Any GNI providers or team members who meet any of the CDC exposure guidelines are required to follow the CDC guidelines for self-quarantine and testing.
Q: I’M NOT FEELING WELL. SHOULD I STILL COME FOR MY APPOINTMENT?
A: If you’re not feeling well, we advise you to reschedule your appointment. However, if your medical condition is urgent, please call our office at 478-743-7092, so we can guide you appropriately.
Q: IS IT OKAY TO BRING SOMEONE WITH ME TO MY APPOINTMENT?
A: We understand the need to visit the office with a companion; however, we ask that you limit this to one additional visitor as we try to minimize the number of people coming into our office locations.
Q: HOW WILL I KNOW IF THERE IS A CHANGE TO MY APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE – CONSULTATION, SURGERY, FOLLOW-UP, OR PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENT?
A: Please know you are always welcome to call us at 478-743-7092 with any questions about your schedule; however, be assured that we will initiate phone contact with you to discuss any changes in upcoming appointments and procedures. We also encourage you to register for the GNI Patient Portal; you can find a link on the home page of the website. This makes communication with us even easier and also allows you to leave a message after business hours for reply the following day.
Q: IS GNI OFFERING TELEMEDICINE APPOINTMENTS?
A: Yes, please call the office at 478-743-7092 to see if your appointment need fits the telemedicine model. Some examples include post-operative follow-up consultations, visits to review imaging and diagnostic results, and appointments to check progress or response to a treatment. Please know that telemedicine also requires the use of electronic communications such as a computer or phone. If a telemedicine visit is appropriate, our staff is happy to help get you set-up for your telemedicine visit.
PHYSICAL THERAPY
Q: I JUST HAD SURGERY AND MY DOCTOR TOLD ME I WOULD NEED PHYSICAL THERAPY FOR FOUR TO SIX WEEKS. IS PHYSICAL THERAPY STILL OPEN?
A: Our physical therapy services are still open, and it is important for post-surgery patients to continue with therapy to reach optimal surgical results.
Q: DOES TELEMEDICINE INCLUDE PHYSICAL THERAPY APPOINTMENTS?
A: Telemedicine may a great option for you; please discuss this with your physical therapist to determine the viability of telemedicine for your specific course of treatment.
Q: I WOULD PREFER TO DO “AT HOME” EXERCISES FOR PT. IS THAT OKAY?
A: At GNI, our primary goal is for you to recover from surgery to your best, “most active” lifestyle. We believe that it is important for you to talk with your therapist to make the best game plan for reaching this goal. At home exercises may be appropriate, but you may not be far enough along the recovery process for this to be the case.
