The largest orthopedic group in Florida temporarily closed all of its locations after one of its physicians tested positive for 2019 novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
Tampa-based Florida Orthopaedic Institute (FOI) announced it would close when it was notified that one of its physicians tested positive for COVID-19. The physician worked at both the South Tampa and North Tampa/Temple Terrace locations. According to FOI’s initial post, the physician had mild symptoms and was in quarantine.
FOI has been contacting patients and providing updates via its website. Within days of the initial notice, FOI announced, “We have fully complied with and completed the Department of Health investigation. All patients and staff that were potentially exposed have been notified. They are each under a self-quarantine for the next 14 days as a precaution. We have also completed a deep sanitization of our FOI office locations.”
While patients at the affected locations may have concerns about their potential exposure to COVID-19, FOI commented, “If you have not received a phone call, there is nothing else for you to do at this time.”
At the same time FOI announced its temporary closure, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis issued a statewide order prohibiting all health care practitioners from performing elective surgeries. The order intends to conserve critical medical supplies in response to COVID-19. As such, FOI stated, “we will not perform elective surgery cases at the Citrus Park or Telecom Ambulatory Surgery Centers until further notice.”
FOI reopened its Brandon and South Tampa Urgent Care Centers for emergency walk-in appointments and announced the reopening of all other locations beginning March 30, 2020.
Earlier this month FOI and the five practices of OrthoCare Florida merged, forming the largest orthopedic practice in Florida and the 13th largest in the United States. The merger expanded FOI’s capacity to serve more than 150,000 patients with its 150 providers at 17 locations throughout Tampa Bay.
For OTW’s recent coverage of FOI see “Florida Orthopaedic Institute Now Largest Ortho Group in FL” and “Kapil G. Mehrotra, M.D. Joins Florida Orthopaedic Institute.”
