Mid-Hudson Health Specialties Clinic Update

Dear Valued Patients and Families:

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. Our community has been through a lot over the last few months and, while many things have changed, one thing has remained the same: our commitment to your health and safety.

At Mid-Hudson Health Specialties, we want our patients, staff, and families to feel safe and comfortable when they enter our offices. Our offices follow infection control recommendations made by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

We will continue to follow the activities of these agencies so that we are up-to-date on any new rulings or guidelines that may be issued. We do this to make sure that our infection control procedures are current and adhere to each agencies’ recommendations. In fact, we’ve gone above and beyond the mandated infection control to promote the safest environment for ourselves and our clients, so you may see some changes when it is time for your next appointment. Some of the additional infection control actions we’ve taken for your safety include:

  • Wall-mounted and handheld touchless (UV) thermometers
  • Plexiglass Barriers
  • Approved Disinfectant utilized frequently
  • Higher than required PPE- including masks, face shields, gloves, and gowns (depending on the service provided)

You will notice some changes when it’s time for your next appointment. In order to best protect our staff and patients, we’ve also developed some new guidelines for your appointments:

  • Psychology and Social Work Counseling, Psychiatry, and some Medical appointments will continue via telehealth.
  • For on-site services, our office will communicate with you beforehand to ask some screening questions. You will also be asked the same questions again the day of your appointment.
  • You will be asked to call from your vehicle when you arrive so that you can be greeted the door to assist with check-in and to avoid any crowding in our waiting rooms.
  • Masks will be required by everyone entering the office. If you do not have a mask, we will provide one for you. (Alternative accommodations will be made for a patient who is unable to wear a mask.)
  • Temperature checks will occur at the entrance to the building.
  • Hand sanitizer will be available at the reception areas and other places in the office for you to use as needed.
  • You may see that our waiting room will no longer offer magazines, beverages, etc., since those items are difficult to clean and disinfect.
  • Appointments will be managed to allow for social distancing between patients. IRAs will be offered appointments scheduled house by house (with time for cleaning in between).
  • We will do our best to allow greater time between patients to reduce waiting times for you, as well as to reduce the number of patients in the reception area at any one time.
  • Whenever possible and appropriate, only the patient will be in the clinical office with the clinician.

We look forward to seeing you all again and we’re happy to announce we have started re-opening our main sites in Kingston, Catskill, and Carmel.

The current pandemic has significantly impacted all of us.  We know that there is an increased need for clinic services at this time, especially mental health counseling.  We are happy to be able to continue to provide services to our current patients, as well as accept new patients.  If you or your loved one are in need of new or additional clinical services at this time, please contact our Treatment Coordinator, Sherry Tesler, at Sherry.Tesler@ArcMH.org or 845-768-5151.

Thank you for being our patient and allowing us to provide the best care to you!  We value your continued trust and loyalty and look forward to welcoming back our patients.

Sincerely,
Dr. Nancy Dib
Chief Clinical Officer