By Dr. David Woo - July 13, 2020

As of Monday, July 13, we’ve reopened our doors and are thrilled to offer TMS again. We’re now accepting new patients, as well as new appointments for existing patients. Please call us at (212) 731-2033 or contact us online to make an appointment.

Our COVID-19 Safety Precautions

Our #1 priority is the health and safety of our patients, our staff, and their families. We’ve implemented a number of new safety measures, including:

• Exhaust fans installed in each TMS room to maximize ventilation.
• We’ll be spacing out appointments more throughout the day in order to limit the number of patients in the office at once.
• Our staff will be wearing PPE, including gloves, gowns, face masks, and face shields.
• Face masks will be required for patients. We ask that you please bring a mask to your appointment, and wear it at all times while inside our office. Wearing a mask will not interfere with your TMS session. We will be happy to provide a mask for you if needed.
• Seats and the TMS machine will be wiped down with antiseptic after each patient.
• Hand sanitizer gel is available in the waiting room and in treatment rooms.
• All staff will undergo daily temperature checks via contactless thermometer. Any staff member found to be running a fever or showing COVID-19 symptoms will not be allowed to come to work.
• Patients will also have their temperatures checked upon arrival. If you are running a fever or showing any symptoms of COVID-19, please call our office before coming in for your appointment.

Telemedicine Options: Schedule a Video Appointment with Dr. Woo

We will continue to offer telemedicine (online video) appointments on a permanent basis, even now that we’ve reopened for in-office TMS appointments. To schedule an online video or phone visit, please call our telemedicine line at (917) 513-8537 or click here to make a telemedicine appointment online.

Video appointments are available for patients seeking general psychiatric consultations and/or medication management, as well as patients interested in starting TMS in the future. If you’re interested in starting TMS, the initial consultation phase can begin now over the phone.

What Is Coronavirus/COVID-19?

A “coronavirus” is a family of viruses that cause flu-like illnesses. COVID-19 is a type of coronavirus that first appeared in 2019, and has spread rapidly across the globe.

Most people who contract COVID-19 will become mildly ill and recover at home, but some people will become more seriously ill and require hospitalization. Learn more about COVID-19 on the CDC’s website.

Why Is it Important to Prevent the Spread of COVID-19?

It’s important for all Americans to take steps to prevent the spread of the virus, because a sudden spike in the number of hospitalizations can overwhelm our healthcare system. When a hospital is overwhelmed, patients are in danger because:

• Fewer beds, equipment, and supplies are available.
• Care providers have less time for each patient, which means a lower quality of care.
• Outbreaks tend to cluster in geographic areas, which means that other hospitals in the same area are also overwhelmed – so transferring patients or supplies from one hospital to another is not an option.

It’s important to practice social distancing, wash our hands regularly, and cover our mouths when we cough or sneeze. Learn more about how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the CDC’s website.

How Can I Get Tested for COVID-19?

If someone has contracted COVID-19, symptoms will usually appear 2-14 days after they’ve been exposed. The most common initial symptoms are:

• Fever
• Cough
• Difficulty breathing/shortness of breath

If you’d like to be tested for COVID-19, please call the New York State Health Department at 1-888-364-3065, or contact your local health department.

Currently, only the Health Department can perform tests. Madison Avenue TMS & Psychiatry is not able to perform or authorize testing for COVID-19. Learn more about testing in New York State.

We look forward to reopening soon and seeing our patients again. To see one of our providers now, click here to make a telemedicine appointment.

Dr. David Woo

Dr. Woo has been seeing patients in private practice since 2002, always with the goals of combining evidence-based medicine with psychodynamic psychotherapy and collaborating with other mental health professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for his patients. He has been certified to administer TMS at his practice since 2017. His greatest clinical interests include helping patients suffering from depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder.