Business Insight Social Distancing? Americans are a direct and social nation. We love family reunions and ball games. We party at every possible occasion. We also hug and kiss, and shake hands, and pat our backs. What is happening now is a huge health crisis and social crisis. We must live the way we never have. And it may be for much longer than we think. We also are very inventive as a nation. Our scientists and just regular citizens discovered and developed many life- changing items and projects. It is no different now. Just a few hours ago, it was announced that our domestic, Illinois-based Abbott came up with almost verifying whether you are doing well and still can keep the visit scheduled. We also take more time between the patients to allow for the most careful sanitizing. We shortened our days to let our staff rest and de-stress. You still can get us on the phone and you still can see our clinicians. But please, be protective of our mutual environment as we are. If you come for a visit, allow your accompanying party to stay in the car and wait. We want the minimal number of patients around and we want to room them immediately. Please, come on time but not 30 minutes before. We love to have you around but this is not a good time for that. Keep the distance from the personnel that is serving you. You know how much we love to interact with our patients. We suffer not to do so but, this is what protects us all. instant COVID19 test that can be used in a doctor's office and receive results within 5 minutes. This is a huge development as the testing is still sluggish and far behind to what it should be. Our neighbors discovered novel ways of celebrating birthdays and graduations: we cannot party but we can all drive around our small neighberhoods and honk. We can use FaceTime and Zoom to talk to each other and see our faces. We need it very much. Some of us, and healthcare is the example, became essential services. It can be interpreted in many ways but the main concept is that essential is something that others still very much use despite the stay-at-home situation. We are such an essential service, at least with some of our procedures and visits. Cosmetic services are not essential. Removing growing skin cancer is. Refilling acne prescription can be the inconveniences. We will not accept it done with a tele-visit or e-visit. Identifying though as a new life-style. It will pass like or diagnosing a mole that keeps changing needs to be done in person. This new reality shocked and attacked us all equally and we need to accommodate it, adjust, and tolerate all bad weather. We will come back, perhaps a little different but equally direct and friendly. Let us all work together, so that we can get back to healthy and safe times as soon as possible. We maintain our office hours to the best of our abilities. We protect our patients every possible way we can. But we also must protect ourselves. Thus, we reassess the situation every day and make appropriate changes to our schedules. Many of you received phone calls from us, Stay well. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net Business Insight Social Distancing? Americans are a direct and social nation. We love family reunions and ball games. We party at every possible occasion. We also hug and kiss, and shake hands, and pat our backs. What is happening now is a huge health crisis and social crisis. We must live the way we never have. And it may be for much longer than we think. We also are very inventive as a nation. Our scientists and just regular citizens discovered and developed many life- changing items and projects. It is no different now. Just a few hours ago, it was announced that our domestic, Illinois-based Abbott came up with almost verifying whether you are doing well and still can keep the visit scheduled. We also take more time between the patients to allow for the most careful sanitizing. We shortened our days to let our staff rest and de-stress. You still can get us on the phone and you still can see our clinicians. But please, be protective of our mutual environment as we are. If you come for a visit, allow your accompanying party to stay in the car and wait. We want the minimal number of patients around and we want to room them immediately. Please, come on time but not 30 minutes before. We love to have you around but this is not a good time for that. Keep the distance from the personnel that is serving you. You know how much we love to interact with our patients. We suffer not to do so but, this is what protects us all. instant COVID19 test that can be used in a doctor's office and receive results within 5 minutes. This is a huge development as the testing is still sluggish and far behind to what it should be. Our neighbors discovered novel ways of celebrating birthdays and graduations: we cannot party but we can all drive around our small neighberhoods and honk. We can use FaceTime and Zoom to talk to each other and see our faces. We need it very much. Some of us, and healthcare is the example, became essential services. It can be interpreted in many ways but the main concept is that essential is something that others still very much use despite the stay-at-home situation. We are such an essential service, at least with some of our procedures and visits. Cosmetic services are not essential. Removing growing skin cancer is. Refilling acne prescription can be the inconveniences. We will not accept it done with a tele-visit or e-visit. Identifying though as a new life-style. It will pass like or diagnosing a mole that keeps changing needs to be done in person. This new reality shocked and attacked us all equally and we need to accommodate it, adjust, and tolerate all bad weather. We will come back, perhaps a little different but equally direct and friendly. Let us all work together, so that we can get back to healthy and safe times as soon as possible. We maintain our office hours to the best of our abilities. We protect our patients every possible way we can. But we also must protect ourselves. Thus, we reassess the situation every day and make appropriate changes to our schedules. Many of you received phone calls from us, Stay well. Michael Bukhalo, MD Arlington Dermatology 5301 Keystone Court Rolling Meadows, IL 60008 Tel. 847 392 5440 | www.arlingtondermatology.net