Patient Communication - COVID

Sample letter intended to be tailored in consultation with public health authorities, practice’s legal counsel and care partners. Dowload the letter.

To Our Patients:

As you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many different ways. The doctors and staff at ________ have scrupulously followed WHO and CDC guidelines to protect you and ourselves. Despite these measures, a member of our practice community has tested positive for the coronavirus and is now in self-quarantine. We feel that it is in the best interests of public health—your health—that we close our cancer center for a minimum of two weeks, or until the hospital believes it is safe for us to resume treating our patients.

I/we recognize that this may cause additional concerns re: effective treatment of your cancer. However, the lessons learned from recent natural disasters, such as hurricanes interrupting treatment for patients in Houston and Puerto Rico, have taught us how to safely re-calculate your therapy to minimize your risk once radiation therapy is resumed.

I/we are grateful for the opportunity to care for you during your cancer journey. Our commitment to you remains unchanged: to provide the highest quality and most effective radiation therapy to treat your cancer in a safe and disease-free environment. Please continue to monitor your health and if you exhibit signs or symptoms of coronavirus—fever, cough, difficulty breathing—contact your primary care physician for further recommendations.

Sincerely,