Blue Ridge ENT continues to maintain our commitment to provide care to our patients during this pandemic. We are monitoring the CDC and WHO websites and taking all necessary precautions.
General Information:
- Our Boone and Linville offices are open with regular operating hours.
- Our Ashe office is temporarily closed.
- We continue to offer Telehealth visits where appropriate to help you with your medical concerns. See more info under “Telehealth Services” below.
- All patients that arrive at our office will be screened prior to entering the office.
- All patients the enter our office must wear a mask covering their mouth and nose at all times- this includes all Allergy patients.
- Please complete all paperwork on your patient portal prior to your appointment.
- We are limiting access to the office to patients only unless there is a special need for a visitor. Minor patients must be accompanied by an adult guardian.
- We have a process of frequent cleaning and disinfecting all common and patient areas.
Allergy Patients:
- Allergy patients will arrive during regular shot hours. See hours of operation.
- Allergy patients that normally visit our Ashe office should visit our Boone office effective 03/30/20. See below for Linville Allergy shot hours.
- You MUST wear a mask and bring your Epi-Pen in order to receive a shot.
- Anyone who leaves prior to being checked will not receive another shot until we return to our normal procedure.
- Boone office. After you receive your allergy shot you will wait in your car. We are asking for the color and type of car you will be in so our staff can monitor you. When your time is up you will need to return your timer and have your arms checked. During this time, we will be maintaining your current dose.
- Linville/Cannon office – We have established a schedule for Allergy services based on your last name. We strongly recommend you follow this schedule to limit the number of patients in the office at one time to maintain social distancing as recommended by the CDC. The last name schedule for our Linville/Cannon office is below.
- A -G Thursday 8-11.30
- H – L Thursday 1-4
- M – S Friday 8-11.30
- T- Z Friday 1-3
- Ashe/Jefferson office – is temporarily closed
Audiology Patients:
- Audiology services are available in our Boone and Linville offices.
- Audiology patients can drop off their hearing aids for repairs. Once the hearing aid is ready for pickup you will be notified.
Telehealth Services
Though it’s always great to meet your healthcare professional in person, many patient visits do not need to occur face to face in order for an evaluation, diagnosis or treatment recommendation to be made.
- Current patients are able to continue receiving follow-up care while new patients can complete their initial visit and begin seeking treatment. Many assessments can be performed during a virtual doctor visit.
- Your regular insurance will be billed for these visits and normal copays/deductibles will apply.
- Please access the following tutorials for additional information on connecting to your Telehealth Visit:
- To schedule your Telehealth Appointment, please call (828) 264-4545.
What You Can Do To Help:
- Do not come into the office if you are sick.
- Do not bring family members into the office during your visit.
- Carefully review the instructions above to ensure that you are properly prepared for your visit.
Please keep in mind that the current situation is very fluid and continues to change. Patients are encouraged to check the following resources for up-to-date information on COVID-19, including how to best keep yourself safe and what you should do if you suspect that either you or a family member may have fallen ill with this virus.
Watauga County Health Department
Please note, we CANNOT perform on-site testing for coronavirus at any of our offices. Please contact your primary care physician, Urgent Care, local health department at (828) 795-1970 or your local emergency room if you:
- Have a fever, cough or cold/flu like symptoms, or symptoms of lower respiratory illness (e.g., cough or shortness of breath)
- Have experienced a loss of smell, decreased smell, or even bad smells.
- Chills or repeated shaking/shivering, muscle pain, headache, sore throat.
- Have been exposed to someone that has been diagnosed with coronavirus or someone who has had contact with anyone under quarantine for the virus
- Have recently traveled or been exposed to anyone returning from outside of the United States
- Have recently traveled outside our region.
If you have any of these symptoms and have an upcoming appointment with your Blue Ridge ENT provider, we ask that you call our office to reschedule your appointment. If you would like to cancel your appointment, we have the availability to perform a virtual visit on some patients with specific medical conditions.
Call our office at (828) 264-4545 or complete a contact us request on our Contact us page and a staff member will be in contact with you.
Call 911 if you have a medical emergency.
