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May 18, 2020:
Royal City Physio Will Be Opening For In-Person Appointments Monday May 25th!
As part of BC’s transition to Phase 2, we will begin in-person, one-on-one treatments starting Monday May 25th.
Call the clinic to book an appointment at 604-553-1203 or go to our website to book online!
As we all recognize, it is still very important to continue to flatten the curve to protect ourselves and our family against community transmission of COVID-19. In order to keep you and our staff safe, we have implemented new policies at Royal City Physio as set out by our provincial government and college.
Clinic/Staff Protocols
There will be fewer scheduled appointments per hour to reduce the number of patients in the clinic.
Appointment start and end times will be strictly maintained
Treatment areas will be sanitized after each patient and there will be additional cleaning of all common areas.
The public washroom will be available & sanitized after each use.
All staff will be required to have a temperature check at the beginning of each shift
No staff member will be allowed to enter or stay in the clinic if showing ANY signs of illness
Front desk staff will be separated from patients by a plexiglass screen
Waiting room will have a maximum capacity of 3 people in order to maintain appropriate physical distance (2 meters)
All practitioners and staff will wear cloth or non-procedural paper masks
All practitioners will wash hands before and after treating each patient.
Patient Requirements
Patients will be screened via a COVID-19 questionnaire for illness and recent travel prior to attending in-person appointments
Please cancel and reschedule your appointment if you do not feel well - cancellation fees will not be charged.
Please wear a cloth or paper mask to your appointment
If you do not have your own mask there will be masks for $2 at front reception
Please wait outside or in your car if the waiting area is at maximum capacity (3 people).
Attend your appointment alone, if possible, to reduce the number of people in the clinic.
Please arrive no more than 5 minutes before your appointment time; avoid coming early if possible
Appointments will start and end on time; Patients should arrive on time for their appointment and will not be able to stay after to exercise
All patients will be asked to clean their hands with provided hand sanitizer before and after their appointment.
We will continue to offer virtual appointments through our TeleRehab platform for those who prefer to receive care from their home or are unable to access treatment in person. The TeleRehab appointments have been very successful and well received and we have decided to permanently add this service as an alternative to in-person treatments. TeleRehab is a proven way for those of you who are in remote areas to conveniently access high quality physiotherapy services.
Despite doing things differently in this “new normal,” you can continue to expect a warm, friendly welcome as you enter our spacious clinic, and exceptional care from your practitioner.
Thank you for your patience and support over the past several months and in the coming weeks as we navigate our way forward. We are very excited to be reopening our doors and look forward to seeing you soon!
Sincerely,
Your Royal City Physio Team
March 25, 2020:
Dear Royal City Physio Clients,
This past week has been difficult with the influx of information and recommendations from government health officials regarding COVID-19. It is with heavy hearts that we made the early decision to temporarily close the clinic as of March 18th for the safety of our patients, staff and community. In this uncertain time, we want to assure you that our physiotherapists are still here to help you! In accordance with the province’s recommendations for social distancing, we have now set-up Tele-Rehab physiotherapy sessions.
Over the past week, we have received many questions from patients about the future of their course of treatment. We have done our best to try to answer all of your questions below.
What is Tele-Rehab physiotherapy?
Tele-Rehab physiotherapy is a 1-on-1 video based session, similar to an in-person session, that can be done from a home or office. During a Tele-Rehab session, your therapist will listen to your history and take a detailed history, assess the area(s) where you may be experiencing pain, and assess range of motion through specific movements. After guiding you through a series of self-tests, your physiotherapist will provide you with a diagnosis and a plan for treatment including:
Advice and education
Timeline for recovery, including estimated number of sessions needed
Passive and/or active stretches
Self-mobilization techniques
Mobility and strength exercises
Progressions to your current exercise program
Communication with your family GP
Referral to other medical providers
How do I book a Tele-Rehab session?
To book a Tele-Rehab physiotherapy session, please visit our Online Booking Page. If you’ve never used our online booking system, here is a video showing you how! Our physiotherapist’s schedules are viewable online and you can select the best time for your session. Three treatment options are available to you:
Tele-Rehab Initial Assessment (for new injuries)
Tele-Rehab Subsequent Treatment
ICBC Tele-Rehab Subsequent Treatment
Will my insurance company cover a Tele-Rehab appointment? As of March 24th, ICBC, Pacific Blue Cross, SunLife, Desjardins, Canada Life (Great West Life), Manulife and Medavie Blue Cross (ie RCMP, CAF & Veterans/DVA) cover part, or all of the Tele-Rehab appointments.
Please note: ICBC and Pacific Blue Cross currently do not cover new injury assessments provided via Tele-Rehab. If you are insured by Pacific Blue Cross, you have the option of paying in full for your Initial Assessment, and then submitting to insurance for subsequent treatments.
We recommend that you contact your insurer to double check your coverage with them. How do I pay for my Tele-Rehab session? We can still direct bill ICBC and Medavie Blue Cross. Unfortunately we are not able to direct bill Pacific Blue Cross while the clinic is temporarily closed and will require payment in full via credit card. If you are insured by Pacific Blue Cross, you can watch their video on how to submit a claim online here. Please note that we require a credit card on-file to complete online bookings, but this card will not be charged until after your session. Credit card information is securely encrypted and stored through Stripe’s payment processing platform, similar to storing a card on Amazon. Neither Royal City Physio, nor your physiotherapist have access to your credit card information. What do I need for a successful Tele-Rehab session?
A device (computer, laptop, ipad, phone) with a camera and microphone.
A bright space large enough to do assessment movements and exercise.
Clothing appropriate for examination and exercise. (eg. Tank top for shoulder assessments; Shorts for knee or ankle assessments).
Exercise equipment that you might have: yoga mat, exercise ball, therabands, light weights.
A friend or family member at home in case there is an emergency during your video session.
Will my personal information be secure? Our therapists will be using either Jane, Physitrack, or Zoom as our video platforms, all of which offer end-to-end encryption and are PIPA/PIPEDA compliant. None of the audio or video of your Tele-Rehab video sessions will be recorded or stored. All personal information you provide is confidential and will be recorded in your chart, as required by the law, the same as if you attended an in-person visit at the clinic.
Not sure if Tele-Rehab physiotherapy is for you? Call us at (604) 553-1203 or email us at contact@royalcityphysio.com or contact your physiotherapist directly at their email found here.
Our phone lines will continue to be answered between 10 am- 2 pm Monday to Friday.
Thank you for your patience and continued support while our community navigates the impact of COVID-19. In the short term, we are pleased to support you online via Tele-Rehab. We hope that everyone is staying healthy and safe and we look forward to seeing you in-person again soon! Karen Nichol and the Royal City Physio Team
March 17, 2020:
Dear Royal City Physio Clients,
Here in BC we see things changing on a day to day basis, and so must we do the same in response. To align with our social responsibility, and for the health and safety of our community, we have decided to temporarily close our clinic, effective March 18, 2020. We plan to reopen on March 31, 2020, however please stay connected to our social media, and double check our website for updates.
During this time, you can still book and/or re-schedule future appointments online, or by phoning us at (604) 553-1203. We urge everyone in our community to continue practicing safe social habits, and stay as healthy as possible. We will be rolling out a series of activities that you can safely do from home through our social media profiles, stay connected on Instagram, Facebook and/or Twitter.
If you have any specific questions about your injuries or rehab program, our physios are more than happy to answer your questions via email. Just click on your physio's name below:
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We thank you for your patience and understanding. Royal City Physio Team
March 14, 2020:
Dear Royal City Physio Clients, As we navigate the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the health and safety our clients and staff is our highest priority. We are committed to being proactive and we want to assure you that we are following the appropriate protocols to maintain the health and safety of our facility, patients and staff. CLINIC CLEANING: We are taking extra precautions in cleaning patient treatment areas including thorough wiping down of treatment beds and replacement of pillow cases and towels in between each appointment. We have also increased the frequency of cleaning at our clinic by making sure that frequently used items/equipment such as door handles, exercise equipment, bikes, and bathrooms are disinfected on an hourly basis. PHYSIOTHERAPISTS & STAFF: All of the staff at Royal City Physio are implementing enhanced hand-washing protocols, by ensuring that they are washing their hands before and after each client interaction. We also want to assure you that any staff member who is not feeling well, will not be coming into work at the clinic. OUR CLIENTS: We are asking our patients to assist us in maintaining these health and safety standards by adhering to the following:
If you are feeling unwell, please stay home! Throughout this time, we will be more lenient with our 24-hour cancellation policy if it is related to patients feeling sick. You can reschedule your appointment online or by contacting our reception at (604) 553-1203.
Wash your hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, before and after your visit at our clinic. We ask that anyone who enters our clinic (including friends and family accompanying the patient) to please use the alcohol-based hand gel that we have stationed at our front desk.
Cover your mouth and nose with your arm or a tissue when you sneeze or cough.
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We will continue to monitor the situation closely to ensure that we are taking the appropriate precautions in alignment with the Public Health Agency of Canada and the World Health Organization. We thank you for your patience and understanding and will continue to provide you with any pertinent updates. Royal City Physio Team