The Yale Department of Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation will open an urgent care clinic for patients with minor to moderate orthopaedic injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The temporary urgent care center will be located at the Yale Physicians Building at 800 Howard Avenue in New Haven, with patients able to come to the clinic that will be opened on the first floor. As the COVID-19 coronavirus remains a primary concern though, no walk-ins will be accepted. Patients will first be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before being allowed into the clinic, and temperature will be checked at the entrance. The clinic is scheduled to open on March 24.
“Our emergency department has to be able to focus on patients that are coming in with coronavirus symptoms and other critically ill patients,” Lisa Lattanza, MD, Chair of the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, said. "We can continue to help our patients that are well but need urgent orthopaedic care by seeing them in a safe environment and help unload some of the work from our colleagues in the ED that are doing the critical work of taking care of patients with coronavirus."
The clinic is designed as a way to relieve the inflow of potential patients into the emergency room at Yale New Haven Hospital, and to allow patients with musculoskeletal conditions to receive the care they need in a safe and timely manner.
We want to make sure we are protecting patients and physicians by limiting crowding in the emergency room, and offering services in an environment with only COVID screen-negative patients
Assistant Professor Andrea Halim, MD
“We want to make sure we are protecting patients and physicians by limiting crowding in the emergency room, and offering services in an environment with only COVID screen-negative patients,” said Assistant Professor Andrea Halim, MD. “We don’t want people to be scared to go to the hospital if they injure themselves, and want to do what we can to keep our patients healthy and well cared-for during this outbreak.”
The conditions that will be treated at the urgent clinic will include things like wrist, forearm and ankle fractures, lacerations, and fingertip injuries. If a provider believes you will require emergent surgery or admission to the hospital, you will be directed to the emergency room.
Faculty will staff the clinic on a rotating basis and the hours of the clinic may lengthen depending on demand. To make an appointment, please call 1-877-YALEMDs for an appointment. The clinic will be open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, with the potential of expanded hours, depending on demand.