COVID-19 - Thanks for playing your part.

Dear MIMC Patients,

I can’t thank you enough. You are truly amazing.

Despite the enormous emotional, educational and economic costs, you are doing a brilliant job of slowing the spread, flattening the curve, and keeping yourselves and all of us safe and well.  

I was a junior doctor at the Royal Children’s Hospital Emergency Department during the SARS epidemic, and I have never forgotten the challenges it presented. At the time, I was so grateful that I wasn’t in a leadership position.  I have long dreaded having to lead a health service through a pandemic. And yet, here we are. And you’re helping enormously to make my job easier.

One of our clinic’s core values is team-work. Our team is stepping up to this challenge in fine form - our nurses have our clinic well stocked with PPE and flu immunisations and have you safely distanced in our waiting room, our reception team learn a new set of screening questions every few days, they have been brilliant at arranging for the most appropriate way to get your problem solved. Our doctors are staying well informed about the nuanced medical information concerning COVID-19 as well as balancing safe and essential medical care. 

But all of this would not be enough without the crucial role you play in our clinic team.

I want to especially thank you for…

  • Listening to our phone messages, visiting our website and learning about how to keep yourself, our team and our community safe.

  • Noticing and acting upon our signage.

  • Waiting in your car to be seen.

  • Leaving extra children at home for appointments.

  • Staying home when you have infective symptoms.

  • Your patience in getting through to us.

  • Your willingness to use Telehealth where-ever possible.

  • Getting on board with the Hotdoc app for script and referral requests and for remotely checking in for your appointment from the comfort of your car.

  • Observing social distancing in the clinic.

  • Using our drive-through collection point and self-swabbing for Coronavirus swabs.

  • Your well wishes, kind thoughts and expressions of appreciation. 

Most of all I want to thank you for the hardest part of all - for staying home. For all of the things you’ve given up to keep the community safe. For facing the challenge ahead in solidarity with us and our team. Yes, you are amazing. And I am enormously grateful.

Please, please, keep doing more of the same. 

And have a Happy Easter. COVID-19 cannot infect magical beings, so here’s hoping the Easter Bunny reaches you all.

Best wishes,

Ami

Ami Thies