FAQ’s
One of the side effects of the Covid vaccine and booster can be temporary enlargement of the lymph nodes under the arm where the dose was injected. Over a period of time, those nodes will typically return to normal size and any soft tissue swelling will resolve. Our team pre-screens patients for the Covid vaccine and booster at the time of scheduling and we may adjust your appointment date by 4-6 weeks for routine exams. Our clinical staff is familiar with this side effect and we follow the Society of Breast Imaging recommended guidelines to ensure patients are evaluated at the best time and with minimal stress.
Yes! Patients and essential visitors are required to wear a mask or face covering which covers both their nose and mouth. If a patient is unable to secure their own mask, they will be issued a mask upon screening and entry into our Center.
That depends. We have temporarily revised our visitors’ policy to help provide a safe environment for our patients and staff. During this Covid-19 period, caregivers will not be permitted to accompany patients inside our facilities, with the following exceptions: 1) a parent or guardian may accompany a minor during their office visit, 2) an adult may accompany an OB ultrasound patient, and 3) a caregiver may accompany an elderly patient or individual who needs direct assistance to communicate, walk, or make decisions; this includes patients who will receive sedation for their procedure. Essential caregivers must wear a mask to the patient’s appointment. In all other cases, families and non-essential support persons will be asked to wait in their vehicle, and will not be allowed inside our Center. We thank you for your cooperation in our efforts to provide a safe clinical environment.
Yes, to speed the check-in process and help reduce the spread of any virus on surfaces, we encourage all patients to complete their registration forms in advance and bring them to their appointment. Forms are available online as an editable PDF file: https://alexandriaradiology.com/for-patients/#patient-forms. Please download the files, complete the information, sign the form(s), and bring the printed version(s) to the front desk. This will help shorten your registration experience.
AAR has implemented a stringent protocol to help keep you safe from infection while in our Centers. Prior to check-in, all patients will be asked to complete a Covid-19 screening questionnaire in accordance with CDC, American College of Radiology and Radiological Society of North America recommended guidelines. Patients will not be allowed inside our office if they are experiencing possible Covid-19 symptoms including fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, loss of smell and taste, or unvaccinated patients who have returned from travel and are completing their 10-14 day CDC-recommended quarantine.
X-ray is a walk-in service and no appointment is required. Hours may vary by Center so please check the locations page for more information.
Be assured that our staff is disinfecting equipment and all surfaces between every patient visit. We are using medical-grade sanitizers that are proven to kill germs associated with Covid-19. We conduct a facility-wide wipe-down before closing the clinical office every day, and a second facility-wide wipe down every morning prior to the start of patient care. We are following all disinfectant instructions for appropriate dry-time, and are using this wipe-down protocol for administrative equipment including keyboards, clipboards, computers, workstations, and phones. Our common areas including the lobby, secondary waiting rooms and restrooms are disinfected several times a day. This includes hard surfaces, door handles and knobs, tables, chairs and front office counters with a CDC-approved medical grade disinfectant solution. We ask that all patients use a hand sanitizer upon arrival at our Center.
Our medical, technical and front desk teams are suited with appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment). We are requiring all patients and essential visitors to wear masks while in our facilities. Our work flow for waiting rooms and hallways has been adjusted to follow appropriate social distancing guidelines. Our patient appointments are spaced apart, helping to assure minimal waiting time at the main lobby area. AAR follows all CDC guidelines for the assessment and screening of every individual who enters our Centers. In addition, we are following simple yet effective medical advice: keep calm, wash your hands, wear a mask, keep safe social distances of six feet, self-quarantine if you have any symptoms and call your family doctor for guidance.
You can expect a slightly different experience when you visit us for your exam as compared to pre-Covid-19. We have changed our workflow with your safety in mind. Our medical assistants at each office perform a verbal screening of all patients for symptoms of Covid-19; only asymptomatic patients will be allowed in our clinical offices.
We have reduced our scheduled appointments so that we can follow safe social distances in our hallways and waiting areas. You will see extra spacing in our lobby and secondary waiting areas to prevent patients and essential visitors from sitting too close together. We may ask you to change clothes in the exam room rather than a changing room; this will help reduce exposure to unnecessary surfaces.
You will see PPE (personal protective equipment) worn by our team including masks, gowns, shields and gloves. We hope these important coverings will not affect the personal experience for which AAR is known. Behind these sterile masks and gowns are the same warm and caring professional team members that you know and trust. We will do our very best to reassure you of that.
No; we are encouraging patients who have a fever, cough, shortness of breath, or other symptoms specific to the coronavirus to go to the hospital for imaging care that is urgent. We recommend patients contact their referring physician for guidance. We are following all CDC guidelines for when we can see patients that had symptomatic and confirmed cases of Covid-19. Please contact your referring physician for further guidance. For a complete list of Covid-19 symptoms, please visit the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
Yes, AAR offers online scheduling for screening mammography. In 4 easy steps, you can schedule your preferred appointment date and time. There’s no waiting and this free service is available 24/7. We look forward to serving you online! Click here to schedule: https://alexandriaradiology.com/web-scheduler.
Fever is a significant symptom of Covid-19, although not always as sometimes people get the flu. Our clinical team will make that determination at the time of scheduling. Patients that have multiple symptoms and are highly suspicious for Covid-19 and need an urgent imaging exam are encouraged to go to the hospital for care. For non-urgent cases, we will ask the patient to call back to reschedule at least 72 hours after symptoms have disappeared without the use of medications and at least 10 days have passed since the symptoms first appeared. If the patient is undergoing Covid testing, the CDC guidelines require that you have two negative test results 24 hours apart and resolution of fever without the use of medication as well as improvement in respiratory symptoms. Please contact your referring physician for further guidance. For a complete list of Covid-19 symptoms, please visit the CDC website at: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
No, we do not offer Covid-19 testing, and encourage you to check with your family doctor for guidance.