ALL PATIENTS:

GMA COVID Update

4/25/22

We are seeing a slight uptick in COVID cases locally, driven primarily by the increase in the BA.2 subvariant. As restrictions are lifted and we are appropriately resuming many normal activities, it is important to continue to protect ourselves. The vaccine is our first line of defense! If you have not received your 3rd vaccine, we strongly recommend getting this booster to prevent severe disease. The 3rd shot is authorized for anyone over age 12 once it has been at least 5 months since the 2nd shot (3 months for immunocompromised people). Recently, the CDC authorized an additional booster (4th shot) for people over 50. Data primarily out of Israel indicates that the 4th shot does provide additional protection against severe disease, particularly in those over 60 and those with medical conditions that increase their risk of complications. Based on that data we do encourage patients in these categories to go ahead and get a 4th shot if it has been over 4 months since your 3rd shot. Even those who have had COVID should get vaccinated and boosted to maximize immunity. Getting a booster shot now will not preclude getting another booster shot in the fall or winter when we anticipate the next surge. It will also not prevent you from getting an updated version of the vaccine if one becomes available in the future. Visit https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/vaccines for locations to receive the vaccine.

Our second line of defense, oral antivirals Paxlovid and Molnupiravir, are now more readily available for higher risk patients (those over 65, those with chronic medical conditions, or unvaccinated people). These prescriptions need to be given within 5 days of the onset of symptoms so we encourage early testing if you develop symptoms. At home rapid tests are available in the pharmacies or online at https://www.covid.gov/tests.

We are pleased with the progress since the beginning of the year as cases and hospitalizations have decreased significantly. However, as the virus continues to circulate in our community, we strongly encourage everyone to utilize the available tools to prevent severe COVID infection. This will allow us to continue moving forward and enjoy the spring and summer.

We have some exciting news at Guilford Medical Associates! We recently went live with a new, updated Electronic Health Record system. The new system will help your doctor & the staff continue to provide excellent care while employing the latest technology. As we continue to become more familiar and adjust our workflows to best leverage this new technology, please be patient. It may take an extra minute or two to fill in some additional information at first but it will be much more efficient than the old system.

To sign up on the new patient portal, please click on the following link and enroll now: https://health.healow.com/GuilfordMedicalAssoc

Thank you for entrusting your medical care to the doctors and staff at Guilford Medical Associates, PA.

Closings or Delays:

Changes to regularly scheduled hours due to severe weather conditions will be posted here and also on the WFMY News2 website under closings & delays.

The office will be closed on the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Office Hours:

Office hours are 8am – 5pm Monday through Friday.

After hours care is available Weekdays (Monday – Friday) from 7:30am through 6:00pm

For a non-emergency appointment please contact our office at 336 621-8911 or through the patient portal.

Welcome to Guilford Medical Associates

Guilford Medical Associates has been a part of the Greensboro medical community for more than 50 years. We have eleven physicians, all board certified in internal medicine and some in additional areas of specialization. As physicians and staff at Guilford Medical, our goal is to help you maintain optimum health by providing care which is efficient and comprehensive, yet personalized and caring. Recognizing that you as our patients are our most important asset, we are committed to courteous, confidential and timely service.

Our Services

We provide comprehensive internal medicine care for adults and adolescents over the age of seventeen. Our in-house services include primary care, laboratory, x-ray, bone density, disease management and referral coordination. Several of our physicians also provide nursing home care for the community.

LABORATORY INFORMATION Our walk-in lab is open from 10:00 am - 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. No appointment is needed for lab work ordered by a provider.	DIABETES CARE We have a Certified Diabetes Educator available for all aspects of diabetes care. Patient goals to be covered are blood glucose monitoring, foot care, medications, nutrition and activity management.
OSTEOPOROSIS CARE With a skilled team of professionals, we are able to perform DEXA scanning and/or result interpretation.	ANTICOAGULATION CLINIC We have Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners certified in anticoagulation management available to monitor patients requiring chronic anticoagulation.
CHRONIC DISEASE CARE We have expertise in providing patient education and medication management for a number of chronic disease states to improve patient health.	HOSPITAL ADMISSION POLICY For the last 50 years the physicians at Guilford Medical have remained committed to providing continuity of primary care to our patients across all spectrums of care: in the outpatient setting, in the hospital and at select skilled nursing facilities.