How can Physical Therapy Help Flatten the Curve of the COVID-19 Pandemic?
According to Dr. Matos, an expert in biologic surety and the management of select agent programs at federal facilities:
“Physical therapists are essential in flattening the curve of the COVID-19 pandemic. They play a key role in keeping people they can help out of the doctor offices and ER’s. This will not only free up the medical teams to treat those impacted by COVID-19, but also limit the exposure of those seeking the care of the physical therapist”.
Dr. Matos is a member of an advisory group in Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Defense. Dr. Matos has experience working with the Armed Forces Health Surveillance Center, Department of Defense Global Emerging Infections Surveillance and Response System, and the CDC. He has served as a public health emergency officer for 14 Department of Defense installations and has participated in multiple disease and epidemiological investigations. Dr. Matos has received extensive training in risk communication in a public health emergency and in exposure investigations.
At each of our Wright Physical Therapy clinics, we are actively scheduling patients while accepting new patients and it may be argued that it is our duty to continue to care for our patients’ physical therapy needs during this time of crisis. We know that our profession plays a crucial role in the health of our society, and there are people in our communities whose health will be significantly impacted by disruptions to care. Below is a memorandum the US Department of Homeland Security issued on the list of essential infrastructure workers.
The guidance from the memorandum states that:
“If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, such as healthcare services and pharmaceutical and food supply, you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal work schedule.”
With our company’s commitment to inspire others to create a life of joy, we want to ensure our communities that we are holding the safety and health of our team and patients at the highest level. With that, we will continue our diligence to provide our patients with world-class care in their path of recovery. We continue to keep up-to-date with all State and Federal guidelines and we will continue to keep you informed as well.
If you have any questions regarding how we are handling the COVID-19 pandemic or you would like more information on how you can avoid the Urgent Cares and Emergency Rooms during this time, please visit our website or call any of our locations.
Sincerely,
The Staff of Wright Physical Therapy
