COVID-19, New Realities, and Virtual Care

At this surreal and unsettling time in the world, the COVID-19 virus has caused us all to modify and adapt to a new reality. Nowhere has this been felt more than in the area of healthcare.

Appointment Changes at Toronto Plastic Surgery

In support of public and community safety, along with a strong concern for the well-being and safety of our staff, we have temporarily closed our offices to all non-essential appointments. We continue to provide support and advice to all of our patients via phone (416-323-6336), email (info@torontoplasticsurgery.com), Podium Webtext (any page of our website) and virtual appointments. We will continue to see patients whose concerns may be more urgent or time-sensitive.

Elective surgical procedures and in-office treatments continue to be on hold. We have been reaching out to all of our patients with scheduled procedures and are assisting them through a process of rescheduling. Our single focus has always been on the safety of our patients and our staff, and we will not return to elective surgery until it is safe to do so.

During this time, Dr. Mitchell Brown continues to provide care to his patients at Women’s College Hospital. Although hospitals are under significant restrictions and pressures and have suspended all non-urgent care, we are working to try to ensure continuity of care for our patients undergoing treatment for breast cancer and reconstruction.

Virtual Care

The world of virtual health care is rapidly evolving. Our office already has in place several technologies that allow for virtual communication including our EMR portal, TouchMD patient education portal, along with Podium Webtexting. All virtual communication must be provided in a manner that is not only efficient but also respects the need for patient privacy and confidentiality.

During this time, we are happy to be able to offer virtual appointments for new consultations, time sensitive concerns or for routine follow-up. If you are presently scheduled for an appointment, our team will reach out to you with this opportunity. If you would like to schedule a virtual appointment, please contact the office either by phone, email or through Webtext on our website.

What We Are Doing

While the way that we interact has changed for the moment, our team is working hard to stay productive. A pause like this can be an opportunity for learning and planning. Our staff is participating in a series of online webinars. We meet regularly by online conference. We are trying to reflect on how we have performed in the past, what we need to do now, and importantly, how to plan for the future. I am convinced that when we recover from this worldwide pandemic, we will all be returning to a “new normal”. How will the delivery of care be different?  What changes will be necessary to insure patient safety? How will models of virtual care be delivered? What will the new medical office look like? Stay tuned for some of my thoughts on planning for the future.

From all of us at Toronto Plastic Surgery, we miss seeing you. Please stay safe and we hope to see you soon.

Dr. Mitchell Brown