From an interview with
Dr. Eric Heimberger
McLeod Orthopaedics Seacoast

Have you been suffering from hip, knee or back pain during this coronavirus pandemic, but didn’t want to go see a doctor? In that case, McLeod Orthopedic Surgeon Dr. Eric Heimberger has some good news for you.

Here’s an overview of Dr. Heimberger’s comments:
Here at McLeod, we started back on a gradual reintroduction to surgeries. Over the past week, we returned to our normal volume in the office and full volume in the operating room.

So now that we’ve started doing elective surgeries, we’re keeping our surgical patients safe by requiring preoperative testing for COVID-19 that’s mandatory. Patients in the hospital wear masks, as do all staff members in the hospital, just like we do in our office. The patients are kept in a separate unit on a separate floor so there’s no cross-contamination between different wards or units.

The precautions that we’re taking now since the pandemic started at our office at McLeod orthopedics include all staff members are required to wear a mask and patients are also asked to wear a mask as well. We perform screening checks when a patient comes in through the door and temperatures are taken on the patients, as well.

The typical problems that we were not seeing in the office during this pandemic were patients that had chronic problems with their hips or knees and shoulders. These things probably could wait. They were not considered emergent, but were severely painful and disabling for the patient. Patients weren’t coming here mainly because of fear of the pandemic. Now that the restrictions have been lifted, I would advocate that those patients seek advice with an orthopedic surgeon. That way they can have treatment for their conditions and, hopefully, have less pain and be more functional.

I think at this point, patients still need to be cautious when they do come to office, just like if they went to the supermarket. If we felt there was a concern about patients getting sick, then we would not have reopened like we have. I think patients now can rest assured that when they come in every precaution is taken. They can feel comfortable and safe when they come to the office.

Now that the restrictions have been lifted, patients interested in coming to the office to be seen can contact the office. When they call to make their appointment, they can ask any questions that they have regarding precautions for COVID-19 and, hopefully, alleviate their concerns before they actually physically show up for their appointment.

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