Office Is Open and Here for You

Dear Patient,

Data is showing that patients are at increased risk of illness and death because of delays in
seeing their clinicians and fear of going to hospital emergency rooms. Medical facilities in our
area are SAFE. Please help us to take care of you and manage your medical problems. We are
here to help guide you through these difficult times.

Our office is fully open and is seeing patients for new patient appointments, physicals, and
follow ups. We are continuing to maintain safety measures such as masking, gloving and strict
social distancing. Rooms are disinfected after each use, and the amount of time patients need
to stay in the waiting room is minimized. Patients have an option to stay in their cars and be
texted when the clinician is ready to see them. The office is not seeing patients with respiratory
symptoms (cough, fever). We require that all patients wear masks or facial coverings and we do
not allow walk-ins. We are also available to patients through televisits.

Your safety is paramount to us. We will follow developments and alter policy in the future as needed.

Stay well.

Stuart Henochowicz, MD
Robert Enelow, MD
Sarah Crosswhite, PA-C
Nathan McGwin, PA-C

ACP: Internal Medicine Is Essential

The following is reposted from the American College of Physicians.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light what we’ve known all along—internists are essential. We thank internists and the entire internal medicine community for leading, putting patients first, and exemplifying the best in medicine.

Please recognize a colleague, share your experience through images or text, and engage on social media using the hashtags #IMEssential and #IMProud.

Donations of PPE and Other Items

To Our Generous Patients,

Thank you for your donations of Personal Protective Gear (PPE) both commercial and handmade. Your generosity is humbling and greatly appreciated.

The Fairfax County Department of Health is collecting these and other items* Monday through Friday between 9 am and 4 pm at:

American Legion Post 177

3939 Oak Street

Fairfax, VA 22030

Our office will accept donations and deliver to this location on a weekly basis.

* Other Items Accepted:

• N95 masks

• Surgical masks

• 3-D printed masks

• Homemade cloth masks

• Business-produced face shields

• Homemade face shields

• Medical gowns

• Nitrile gloves

• Other PPEs

• Cleaning supplies

• Diapers

• Paper Towels

• Wipes

• Baby Formula

Medicare Wellness Visits

Our Medicare Annual Wellness Visit questionnaire is now available on the Patient Resources page of our website. You may also download the form here. More information on Wellness Visits is below.

What is the difference between a Wellness Visit and a Complete Physical Examination? Medicare has very specific rules for each.

In the “Annual Wellness Visit,” we will formulate a personalized prevention plan to keep you in good health. It CANNOT include a discussion of your current medical issues, or any current symptoms that you may be having. It CANNOT include any medical tests, lab work, EKG or medical procedures of any kind. It is a PREVENTIVE VISIT to update medical cancer screenings (mammogram, colonoscopy, etc.), vaccinations, your risk of depression and heart disease, your Advanced Medical Directive, and many other screenings.

Medicare pays for only ONE complete physical examination during your lifetime, when you initially enroll in Medicare. Medicare pays for Wellness Visits every year.

Even though Medicare does not pay for an annual physical, we feel this is essential. This includes a comprehensive review of your current medical problems, a discussion of any new issues, as well as a complete examination, EKG, lab tests, medication refills, and any other medical services you may need.

In the past, we have always combined the Wellness Review and the Physical Examination into one visit. Medicare, however, now requires us to do the Wellness Visit SEPARATELY from the Physical Examination. To comply with Medicare requirements, and to avoid the need for you to visit our office TWICE, we would like to explain our new system.

When you schedule your annual checkup, you will be scheduling two appointments, one week apart. The first is the Wellness Visit, which will be done via Telemedicine with either Sarah Crosswhite, PA-C or Nathan McGwin, PA-C. The second will be the actual in-person physical examination.

Thank you for your understanding about these changes. We are committed to providing you with comprehensive primary care.

Stuart Henochowicz, MD
Robert Enelow, MD
Sarah Crosswhite, PA-C
Nathan McGwin, PA-C

Open for Non-Emergent Care May 1

Dear Patients,

Governor Northam has declared that medical offices can be open for non-emergent care as of Friday, May 1. Therefore, we will start seeing patients in the office for physicals, follow ups, and allergy testing. Social Distancing will remain in place. The waiting room will have chairs that are six feet apart. You will have the option of sitting in your car and being texted or called when we are ready to see you. Clinicians will wear masks when seeing you, and will don gloves when there is any physical contact. Exam rooms will be washed down and disinfected after every visit. We will not see patients with respiratory symptoms, and will continue televisits as needed.

Your safety is paramount to us. We will follow developments and alter policy in the future as needed.

Stuart Henochowicz, MD
Robert Enelow, MD
Sarah Crosswhite, PA-C
Nathan McGwin, PA-C