We’re Back! What our patients can expect now

The entire NewLife Hearing Health Centre team has been waiting patiently for the go ahead to re-open fully under the Province’s COVID-19 response plan, with the requisite precautions in place to ensure the ongoing safety of our patients and staff. And, we’re so excited to be back!

Our St. John's clinic reopened on Monday, June 8th, 2020, and our Carbonear clinic will open soon, with an announcement on this being posted online and on our voicemail soon. Thus far, things have been going great, as our staff and our valued patients get used to the ‘new normal’. Your safety is our top priority, and we’ve implemented the various health care practitioner procedures and safety guidelines that have been outlined by the NL Government, in consultation with our College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists.

As such, like most businesses 're-opening’ following the forced closures, things will look and operate a little differently for the foreseeable future. We ask that you please be patient as we collectively get used to the new guidelines and procedures- together, we can make this work and still ensure you are supported on your journey to better hearing health, regardless of where you are in this journey. What certainly has not, and will NOT change is our commitment, service, and support to you.

The following summarizes the changes we have implemented to align with the Provincial guidelines and to help ensure the safety of all individuals in our clinics:

• There will be no walk-in appointments at this time. We must adhere to strict rules of physical distancing which requires a safe distance between us. This would be very difficult to achieve with walk- in appointments, so we require all patients to call ahead and ensure they have a scheduled time to see us.
   
• We will continue to use curbside appointments. In addition to scheduled clinic visits, we are also pleased to continue offering scheduled curbside appointments. These appointments are great for ongoing patient support such as obtaining supplies and batteries, allowing for fast and safe delivery. Payment can be taken over the phone or by e-transfer. Please call to confirm your needs, and our team will help determine whether an in-clinic or curbside appointment would be best.  

Appointments:

• As you can imagine with our clinic closed for the last 3 months we have many in-clinic appointments to catch up on. If you have missed an appointment; you will be contacted, if you haven't already.
   
• We are booking most urgent appointments in the coming weeks, so please be patient with us as we work through the backlog and rest assured, we are eager to see you all! If you have an urgent appointment need (e.g., broken hearing aid, or a sudden loss) please call the clinic immediately. Remember, we cannot at this time accept walk-in visits, so please call ahead.
   
• If you arrive for your appointment and see someone in the waiting room please wait outside the main door. Our clinic door will be locked. You can call knock on the door or call the clinic if the door is locked, and there is no-one in the waiting area.
   
• As there are strict restrictions on timing and spacing of appointments to allow for cleaning and sanitizing procedures to be completed, we ask that you please arrive at least 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment to ensure you are here on time and we can get things ready for your visit.
   
• For now, we are asking patients to come alone to their appointments unless it is absolutely necessary for a support person to join you. Also, please leave extra items such as bags in your car.
   
• We ask that you please bring and wear a cloth or surgical mask upon entry to the clinic. This is a requirement, not an option. If you do not have one, you can purchase one for a nominal fee at the clinic. Again, appointments cannot take place without a mask. Upon entry you will also be required to use hand sanitizer at our new sanitation station, and, you will be asked a series of health-related questions prior to your appointment. The answer to those questions could result in the need to reschedule your appointment for a later date to ensure safety for everyone, including you.
   
• As we move forward, and continue to monitor the guidelines and safety expectations, things may change and we may adjust our guidelines or implement new measures to ensure the safety of all involved. If you have any questions or concerns about any process or procedure related to your visit, please feel free to call and discuss with our team of experts.

We have missed you all, and are looking forward to getting back to supporting your journey to better hearing health. We also can’t wait to hear your quarantine stories, and the things you did to get by, and the things you missed the most! We’ve certainly heard from many who have said that the pandemic and quarantine have highlighted how important communication and hearing is...and we’re here to help.

Please contact us via phone (709.800.7343) or email to get more information, or to book an appointment, and be sure to visit our website for more information and updates on our COVID-19 operating procedures and appointment options.

We’ll see you soon.
Sincerely, Jillian and the Newlife Hearing team.