Health

Health Care Resource Guide | 2020-2021 27 Special Advertising Section wbjournal.com | June 22, 2020 | Worcester Business Journal S39 Special Advertising Section I n the face of the COVID-19, our stakes are high on multiple fronts at once: to self, family, employees, customers, govern- mental and financial institutions, and our communities. But to small business owners, this 21st Century Pandemic is like no other crisis, some of us are on the verge of extinction. According to a Small Business Majority Report dated April 14, 2020, one in three businesses have permanently laid off, furloughed, or reduced the hours/salary of their entire workforce due to COVID-19. For many other businesses, COVID-19 has tested their ability to innovate, to adapt to changes even daily. At the New England Regional Headache Center (NERHC), we have transformed our operations not only to keep our commitment to patients and staff but also, to help our community feel safe during these unprece- dented times. Office Preparedness Dianna Gubber-Markley BSN, Practice Manager, is a member of the Board of Health in Princeton, Massachusetts. She ensures we follow the CDC's guidance to minimize exposure and to sup- port the state in containing the outbreak. As a result, we designed a COVID-19 office management plan that includes patient flow, triage, treatment, and design. One of our immediate changes was to implement telemedicine. For those who need to see the doctor, we modified our schedule to avoid high volume. Other changes included patients waiting in their cars until the room was thoroughly disinfected, and screen- ing for symptoms before entering our office. COVID-19 Operational Restoration As the spread continued, we faced the difficult choice of reduc- ing our hours. We helped our staff navigate State and Federal re- sources as they become available. anks to the support the gov- ernment has provided to small businesses, we are now fully staffed and on a regular schedule. Also, we recently added Adriane M. Rodgers to our practice as one of our Nurse Practitioners to con- tinue to provide outstanding care to our patients. COVID-19 Education As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve, it is our pri- ority to stay on top of the changes to protect our patients and our practice. We continue to educate our staff and patients about changes they can expect to be implemented in the office during this pandemic, and about ways to prepare themselves and their families. Special Recognition On April 11, 2020 we lost an important member of our family, Edith M. Gubber. In 2001, she joined our family practice where she found her niche with headache patients. She became a fighter of insurances and pharmacies for her patients. ey loved her so. Edith had a passion for life, an amazing spirit, a gi for gab and a flare for doing the impossible. We missed her very much. We are proud of our staff who have supported not only our pa- tients but our practice and have kept their kindness and enthusi- asm through hardship. We will continue with our commitment to serving our staff, patients, and community with confidence and dedication. As always, in the end, only kindness matters. Dianna Gubber-Markley BSN Practice Manager nerhc.org • 508-890-5633 Herbert G. Markley, MD, FAAN, FAHS Practice Director Dianna Gubber- Markley, BSN Practice Manager Edith Gubber (1932 – 2020) Licensed Practical Nurse Adriane M. Rodgers, NP Nurse Practitioner

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