Entering Phase Two and Restoring Some Onsite Services at Fenway Health

We would like to share information about Phase Two of our plans to expand onsite care and services at Fenway Health. While some specifics are still being worked out in accordance with state public health guidelines, we wanted to share as much information as possible to help you make the best possible healthcare decisions.

We have made changes at our Fenway Health locations to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to better keep everyone safe. The below provides an overview and you can download a more comprehensive FAQ document here.

What will be different when I visit a Fenway Health location?

• Anyone entering one of our buildings will be screened for COVID-19.
• Staff and visitors at all of our locations will wear masks.
• We have rearranged furniture and added signage to encourage social distancing.
• We regularly clean and disinfect all public areas, exam rooms, restrooms, and work spaces.
• Most staff continue to work remotely. While we still prioritize continuity with your care team, you may be more likely to receive in-person care from staff on other teams.
• We have created clinical and appointment algorithms to help manage on-site volume and flow.
• We have adjusted our workflows to help more efficiently move people through our buildings during their appointments.
• Where possible, we have enacted unidirectional foot traffic through our facility to prevent crossing traffic and unnecessary exposures
• We ask that you try to arrive for your appointment no earlier than ten minutes before it is scheduled. We aim to limit your time spent in waiting areas.
• Parents of young children and guardians or caretakers of adults who require special assistance are welcome in our clinical spaces, but we request that other companions remain outside of our buildings if possible while your appointment is completed. This will help us better maintain physical distancing for everyone.
  

We will continue to offer telehealth appointments and free pharmacy delivery to help minimize your need to travel to access healthcare and services. As we enter Phase Two, we’ll be expanding the care and services offered onsite at 1340 Boylston Street and Fenway: South End.

What Medical and Nursing appointments are being offered onsite?
Our Medical and Nursing Departments continue to offer telehealth care to patients for most issues. Our Phase 2 expansion allows us to now schedule in-person appointments for all of the following reasons:

• acute illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: skin infections, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, STI symptoms)
• chronic illnesses that require an in-person evaluation (examples: diabetes, high blood pressure)
• adult preventive care that requires an in-person visit (examples: mammograms, pap smears)
• pediatric preventive care (examples: well child visits, immunizations)
• reproductive health care that requires an in-person visit (examples: long-acting reversible contraception procedures, inseminations, obstetric visits)
• procedures aimed at treating progressive conditions that, if deferred, may lead to high risk or significant worsening of a patient’s health (examples: skin biopsies of suspicious lesions, cervical colposcopy, high resolution anoscopy)
• continued administration of injectable medications (examples: testosterone or estradiol injections)
• any care for patients who cannot utilize telehealth

You can make appointments for telehealth and onsite care:

• At 1340 Boylston Street – Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:30 pm; Saturday 9:00 am – 1:00 pm. Telehealth and in-person appointments 617.927.6000.
• At Fenway: South End – Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 5:30 pm. Telehealth and in-person appointments 617.247.7555.
• We have also consolidated clinical staff from the Sidney Borum, Jr. Health Center to 1340 Boylston and the South End. Borum patients can continue to call 617.457.8140 to make appointments at one of those locations or for telehealth services.
• You can also schedule a medical appointment or become a new patient by using our online scheduling system.
• Medical telehealth visits may occur outside of these hours.

We continue to work with our partner hospital Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to ensure that our patients who have respiratory symptoms and need an in-person evaluation can access care through BIDMC’s Ambulatory Respiratory / Cohorted Care Unit (ARCCU), urgent care clinics, or Emergency Department (ED).

If you have any questions about how we can best help care for you, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your medical team or to call our Nursing line at 617.927.6300.

Is the Behavioral Health Department offering onsite appointments?
Not at this time. Our Behavioral Health Department continues to offer telehealth care and will do so for the foreseeable future. We are providing psychiatry, psychotherapy, group therapy, and addiction recovery and wellness care. Our Violence Recovery Program also continues to provide counseling and advocacy services via telehealth.

Our Walk-In services for registered Behavioral Health clients remain accessible through telehealth Monday through Friday from 12:00 pm – 4:00 pm, with planning underway to resume onsite care in the near future. The Behavioral Health Walk-In Zoom room opens each day at noon and stays open until 4:00 pm. It is accessible by using the Zoom ID: 795 004 7430. Anyone without access to Zoom can receive telephone-only support. For more information, call 617.816.8242.Our group Acupuncture Detox program will remain closed for the time being, but we are working on plans to reopen in the near future. For more information, call 617.927.6202.

If you would like to register as a new patient or make a behavioral health or addiction recovery & wellness appointment, please call the Behavioral Health Intake Line at 617.927.6202.

What about Dental and Optometry?
We are still determining how best to safely reopen Dentistry services. ALL Dentistry patients are required to contact our Dental Line at 617.927.6127 to schedule an initial telehealth appointment with a dentist, who will then assess the need for an on-site appointment on a case-by-case basis.

You can schedule a telehealth appointment with an optometry provider for either a new issue or for follow up of an existing condition by using our online scheduling system or calling our Optometry Line at 617.927.6190. In person appointments are also available for urgent and emergent eye care issues.

How can I get a COVID-19 test?
Testing is available Monday–Friday, 8 am–12 pm, by appointment. If you think you need a COVID-19 test, please call the medical appointment line at 617.927.6000 to schedule a telehealth visit to be evaluated by your provider. Fenway is now testing those who have symptoms, are an asymptomatic close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, who have attended protests and other large gatherings, or have an underlying health condition including diabetes, HIV infection, heart disease, or liver disease that puts them at higher risk for severe COVID-19 illness. For a full list of underlying health conditions, visit the CDC web site.

If you are not a Fenway patient, but would like to get evaluated for a COVID-19 test, please call 617.927.6000

Thank you for your continued patience and flexibility as we navigate these challenging times together. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have questions or want to schedule an appointment.