April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. .
“If it weren’t for the vaccine, I’m sure I would have ended up in the hospital,” said LaSalle Medical’s Compliance Officer, Barbara Graber.
(REDLANDS, Calif.) “We started the second week of July, now every Wednesday is “Covid Vaccine Day for Kids,” says Dr. Albert Arteaga, pediatrician, and the CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates.
“Now that Moderna has released its three variations on a Covid vaccine for younger people we are full speed ahead,” says Dr. Arteaga, “… we have been tracking the Covid 19 pandemic very closely and believe that the Moderna vaccine is the most effective option currently available.”
LaSalle Medical’s Compliance Officer, Barbara Graber, notes that five of LaSalle’s six clinics are providing Wednesday shots for youngsters. “We started slowly,” says Graber, “… now we are increasing the number of Covid-19 vaccines given weekly. We’ve given 170 shots in the first two weeks of August and parents are responding to our targeted internal outreach program that urges them to bring in their children for their vaccine.”
Graber says being proactive with outreach to clinic patients leads to more people getting the vaccine. “Our team is calling to ask parents to bring in their youngsters to get vaccinated. This makes prevention likely to be a lot more effective.”
The three vaccines are for children aged 6 months to 5 years, 6 to 11 years, and 12 years and older. There is a four-week wait between first and second shots.
Graber contracted Covid-19 herself and says, “If it weren’t for the vaccine, I’m sure I would have ended up in thehospital.” She had the two-shot regimen as well as two booster shots. “This vaccine has proven itself and is now an important addition to our tool kit to help people stay healthy, safe and out of the hospital.”
Barbara Graber, manager of compliance and special projects at LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., clinics accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan coverage, as well as Medicare Medi-Cal and cash.
For more information about LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. call the office closest to you: Fontana (909) 823-4454; San Bernardino 17th Street (909) 887-6494; San Bernardino Mt. Vernon Ave. (909) 884-9091; Rialto (855) 349-6019; Hesperia (760) 947-2161; and Victorville (855) 349-6019.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. is one of the largest, independent, and Latino-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle operates six clinics employing more than 100 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) coverage.
LaSalle is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to approximately 365,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare counties.
Dr. Albert and Maria Arteaga of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
“You can’t just have the vaccine in stock and wait for people to show up. That’s why we reach out to let people know their children can be vaccinated at any time when our clinics are open.”
(Redlands, Calif.) Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, says that all LaSalle clinics have started delivering the Covid-19 vaccine to children.
“We have the Covid19 vaccines in stock, and we have completed training our people on dosages, proper delivery, and administration,” says Dr. Arteaga. “We also have started an active outreach campaign to all of our patients to let them know they can bring their children in to get vaccinated.”
LaSalle Medical Associates has been ahead of the curve for vaccine administration for decades, particularly for pediatric illnesses. “I remember 25 years ago we thought childhood vaccinations must have been around 100 percent. We were very far off. The national statistics came out saying compliance was only 30–40 percent. At LaSalle we were doing a lot better, around 60 percent, but that still did not meet our standards, and that’s why we have been so focused on outreach ever since,” says Dr. Arteaga.
Dr. Arteaga adds, “Since the government started compiling records and keeping track of the percentage of people getting vaccinated, we now have a much more accurate picture of how effective vaccination programs are.”
Being proactive leads to higher vaccine compliance. Calling parents to let them know they should bring in their youngsters to get vaccinated means that prevention is likely to be a lot more effective.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
Dr. Arteaga also reveals his personal shot-administration secret: “Children typically don’t like getting a shot. So, I tell them this shot is painless. But if they do feel pain, I can always give them a second shot for the pain. I’ve never had a child ask for that second shot.”
A nurse or physician’s bedside manner means a lot, particularly with children. Keeping things light and avoiding a stern attitude helps the entire experience go down more easily for both the patient and the caregiver.
LaSalle’s clinics have been recognized in the past for their well-above-average vaccination delivery, recording rates above 80 or even 90 percent compliance for flu shots, for example. Dr. Arteaga says, “It’s all because we really push for people to care for themselves.”
Dr. Arteaga also tackles the myth that if people are feeling ill, they should not get a vaccine shot. “Not true,” says the doctor, “unless you’re quite ill. If you have a cold, the sniffles, whatever, it’s perfectly safe and advisable to get your Covid 19 Vaccine.”
Dr. Arteaga restates his mantra that it’s not enough to have vaccines on the shelf. They need to be available during all regularly open clinic hours, and that’s the longstanding LaSalle policy.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., clinics accept Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan coverage, as well as Medicare and Medi-Cal.
For more information about LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc call the office closest to you: Fontana (909) 823-4454; San Bernardino 17th Street (909) 887-6494; San Bernardino Mt. Vernon Ave. (909) 884-9091; Rialto (855) 349-6019; Hesperia (760) 947-2161; and Victorville (855) 349-6019.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Alicia Cazenave, of San Bernardino, Recently,at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Cazenave received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“People of color are tired of being treated differently by doctors because of their skin color. At LaSalle, we pride ourselves on treating all patients with respect and giving them the care, they need, regardless of their ethnicity,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, founder and CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
In a new policy statement, “Eliminating Race-Based Medicine,” pre-published online May 2, 2022, in Pediatrics, the AAP observes that race is a historically derived social construct that has no place as a biologic proxy. Over the years, the medical field has inaccurately applied race correction or race adjustment factors in its work, resulting in differential approaches to disease management and disparate clinical outcomes.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics is taking an important step toward dismantling race-based medicine. This effort calls for acknowledging the impact that differential lived experiences have on individual and population health outcomes through a race-conscious health equity lens rather than through approaches that have inappropriately identified skin color as an independent risk-adjusting variable,” Dr. Wright said.
“Social determinants of health need to be carefully considered in the development of care delivery strategies including factors embedded in broad categories such as access, the physical environmental and community supports. Evidence informed incorporation of these factors is vital in all areas of medicine.”
“We are honored to have more Doctors to help serve the thousands of patients who have placed their trust in our network of primary physicians and healthcare professionals in California,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga founder and Chief Executive officer of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. Left to Right: Dr. Joseph V. Selvarj, Dr. Albert Arteaga, Dr. Cheryl Emoto, and Dr. Felix A. Albano.
Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., says, “As a minority-owned organization, we have never treated any patient—adult or child—with any but the most conscientious and rigorous care. Many of our doctors and support staff are themselves minorities and they know very well how important it is to make all patients feel comfortable and to deliver to all patients the highest standard, the gold standard, of care.”
Race-based care has been pervasive for decades. One example is how some pediatricians deal with Black children who may be suffering from a urinary tract infection. According to Dr. Joseph L. Wright, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, from American Academy of Pediatrics, rather than apply the gold standard test, they use a lesser procedure because they assume that Black children don’t get urinary tract infections as often as white children.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
But that is not the case at LaSalle. “When we interview prospective providers, we make sure that they are in sync with our values and standards,” says Dr. Arteaga. “The gold standard is the only standard we apply to the people under our care.”
After two years of virtual doctor visits, all of LaSalle six clinics are open for person-to-person patient visits. Clinics are now open in San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Hesperia and Victorville which is temporarily closed.
“The evolution of modern medicine has produced incredible advancements and accomplishments in health care,” Dr. Wright said. “But we must acknowledge and address the stark inequities that persist in leaving vulnerable populations behind. We are better than this. Now is the time for change.”
For more information or to make an appointment at a LaSalle Medical Associates Clinic call: Fontana (909) 823-4454; San Bernardino 17th Street (909) 887-6494 pediatrics only clinic; San Bernardino Mt. Vernon Ave. (909) 884-9091; Rialto (855) 349-6019; and Hesperia (760) 947-2161.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. is one of the largest, independent, and Latino-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle operates six clinics employing more than 100 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) coverage.
LaSalle is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals, and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to approximately365,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, and Tulare counties.
“We are honored to have more Doctors to help serve the thousands of patients who have placed their trust in our network of primary physicians and healthcare professionals in California,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga founder and Chief Executive officer of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. Left to Right: Dr. Joseph V. Selvarj, Dr. Albert Arteaga, Dr. Cheryl Emoto, and Dr. Felix A. Albano.
“People are tired of virtual doctor visits,” says LaSalle President Dr. Albert Arteaga, “they want to see their doctor in person again, and we want them to know that at LaSalle Medical Associates, the doctor is in.”
(Redlands, Calif.)The Covid-19 pandemic in the USA has many people feeling like they are between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, deaths and hospitalizations are declining, but on the other hand, a new variation is causing rising infections.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says the pandemic is receding, but people still need to take precautions.
Dr. Anthony Stephen Fauci OMRI director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the Chief Medical Advisor to the President is saying that we are moving from a pandemic to a less virulent phase, the Associated Press reported on April 27.
In other words, Covid is not going away. Like colds or the flu, it may be here to stay, but weaker. But that does not mean we can just pretend everything is like it was before Covid-19.
Dr. Albert Arteaga, the President of LaSalle Medical Associates, says that the health care providers that provide services through his organization’s network, have been seeing patients remotely for the past two years and those patients want personal patient-to-doctor contact again.
“Thankfully,” says Arteaga, “we now are in a position to accommodate in-person patient visits again. At LaSalle, the doctor is in!”
To wear a mask or not wear a mask, that is the question. One person who still wears a mask when she goes to the supermarket said, “I still wear a mask when I’m out in public places because in the two years we’ve all been told we should wear them, I have not had a cold or the flu, let alone the Covid. Masks seem to keep all the viruses away.”
LaSalle Medical Associates operates clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, Victorville and two in San Bernardino. La Salle has also been teaming up with community-based organizations, including churches, to administer free Covid vaccine shots.
Maria and Dr. Albert Arteaga. The California Medical Association awarded Dr. Albert Arteaga the “Ethnic Physician’s Leadership Award,” recognizing his contributions to medical care in the Latino community.
For more information or an appointment to a LaSalle Clinic, visit LaSalleMedicalAssociates.com or call (909) 890-0407.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. is one of the largest, independent, and Latino-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle operates six clinics employing more than 100 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) coverage.
LaSalle is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to approximately 365,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin and Tulare counties.
LaSalle Medical Associates Nurse Elisabeth gives Eduaido Torres 13 a vaccination.
“Some people are still hesitant, but it’s time to get back to normal. Like any other transition, there’s still some uncertainty, but it’s time to get back to normal.”
(Redlands, Calif.) Patients and parents of patients should call their doctor as soon as possible to schedule appointments for childhood immunizations, school physicals and overdue adult exams, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of the Inland-Empire based healthcare provider.
During the Covid-Pandemic shutdown, LaSalle advised people to stay home, and not come in for checkups, immunizations and other preventive care, Dr. Arteaga said. But with restrictions easing as vaccinations numbers increase, it’s time again for preventive care.
“Schools will reopen, so kids will be required to have their immunizations, and that means getting them now,” Dr. Arteaga said. “Don’t wait until the day before school starts. Immunizations should be given now.”
It’s safer now for parents to bring their non-vaccinated children in to LaSalle clinics for immunizations and other treatments because LaSalle’s staff is all fully immunized against Covid, he said. Also, LaSalle doctors, nurses and staff members still observe all health-safety precautions by wearing face masks and face shields, washing and sanitizing hands and carefully cleaning the exam rooms and clinic facilities.
“I know that some people are still hesitant, but it’s time to get back to normal. Like any other transition, there’s still some uncertainty, but it’s time to get back to normal” Dr. Arteaga said.
“The pandemic has produced a long hiatus in preventive care, particularly for children, and we need to get caught up,” Arteaga said.
“Otherwise, what was a good idea in the wake of the pandemic is going to give rise to childhood diseases that would have been prevented by immunizations. And this isn’t a theoretical possibility. They will come back,” he said.
Dr. Arteaga is a nationally recognized expert on childhood immunizations. In 2012, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention selected him as California’s first “Childhood Immunization Champion.”
Aiden Cruz 4 receives a vaccination from LaSalle Medical Associates Nurse Megan
As national health experts study Covid vaccines for possible use in children, Dr. Arteaga said he is monitoring research reports to determine when it will be safe to immunize children against Covid.
“I believe Covid vaccinations will be approved for children over the coming months, and we will eventually have it for everybody,” he said.
“But in the meantime, we shouldn’t just wait around doing nothing,” Dr. Arteaga said. “We need to get the preventive care that we usually do, and we need to immunize our children against serious childhood diseases,” Dr. Arteaga said.
Adults also need to take care of themselves by scheduling overdue physicals and screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, colorectal disease and diabetes, he said. And they need to get vaccinated against Covid.
“Those who don’t, I assume we’ll see a rise in Covid infections with them,” Dr. Arteaga said. “That’s something that kind of goes with their choice.”
To schedule an appointment with LaSalle Medical Associates, call 1-855-349-6019.
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, recently at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“It’s not politics. It’s about keeping people alive and getting past the pandemic. We are almost there. When you protest everything, that doesn’t make you a patriot. It makes you a misfit.”
(Redlands, Calif.) Southern California is finally emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic, but people must continue to follow health precautions until the threat is gone, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates.
That means washing your hands, following social-distancing guidelines, wearing masks indoors and also when you’re among large groups outdoors.
Also, get vaccinated and recognize that the pandemic is a health crisis, not a political issue, said Arteaga.
It’s all about attitude, he said.
“We do have a public health problem. No question,” he said. “There is a pandemic that can turn rather deadly, and the fact is that around a half million lives have been lost in the United States even though we’re the most advanced country in the world.”
Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, checks in for her COVID-19 vaccination appointment, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton will receive the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
That happened because one group of people made it a loyalty test problem, he said.
“If you’re loyal to this political party, you won’t wear masks. If you’re loyal, you will protest any business closures because that hurts the economy. Some people stopped thinking about the public good.
“Another way to look at it is, ‘Gosh, this is a pandemic. Let’s get together to do what it takes to lick this problem.’”
If people had that attitude, they would recognize that recent reports about vaccine side effects and problems were important to keep people informed, not as ammunition for political arguments.
“We needed a vaccine, and it was rushed because people were sick and dying,” he said. “So now, when we hear of problems with the vaccine, we must realize this is science. This is not a political belief. The alerts and warnings are important to inform the public, and we all need upgrade to our knowledge.
Some of the clinics have been administering Covid-19 vaccines for several months, and Dr. Arteaga said they are safe and effective. He’s been vaccinated and encourages others to do the same.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Alicia Cazenave, of San Bernardino, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Cazenave received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
He applauded recent updates to CDC guidelines saying fully vaccinated people do not need to wear masks at small family events, when gathering with other fully vaccinated people or in many outdoor situations.
“There is no contradiction, no deception with updating the guidelines,” he said. “It seems like masks, social distancing, and closures of businesses and schools have made a difference holding back the tide while the vaccine was put into production, and then we rushed to put it into people’s arms.
“And rushing the vaccine is same as rushing an ambulance through traffic to save lives. Don’t complain about the ambulance driving too fast or complain that pulling over for it infringes on your ability to drive fast on the same streets.”
It’s not politics. It’s about keeping people alive and getting past the pandemic, he said.
“We are almost there. When you protest everything, that doesn’t make you a patriot. It makes you a misfit,” he said.
Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, speaks with Baron Jordan, of San Bernardino, March 20,2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Jordan is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partner LaSalle engaged with trusted community partners like churches… “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps” said Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
(Rialto, Calif.) Nurses from LaSalle Medical Associates vaccinated more than 220 people Saturday during a Rialto clinic designed to give the Black community better access to COVID-19 vaccinations.
LaSalle teamed up with San Bernardino’s New Hope Missionary Baptist Church and The Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches to put at a recent clinic, part of an innovative approach in which the church gathered a list of interested people, and LaSalle staff members contacted them to make appointments.
Alicia Cazenave of San Bernardino was happy that her church worked with LaSalle to bypass the bureaucratic roadblocks she experienced earlier when trying to make appointments for family members through government agencies.
She arrived early Saturday morning and was third in line to get her shot.
“I am relieved to be getting it,” said Cazenave, 59. “Having the church organize it helped as far as access. The church gave us better access.”
She was also happy to be getting the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which is just one dose.
“The shot was good. No pain,” she said after being inoculated.
Dr Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, was thankful that LaSalle worked directly with the church to set up vaccination appointments.
“I had to try to get around the bureaucracy myself, so I appreciate that our health partners engaged with trusted community partners like churches, and I appreciate the respect for the church, knowing that we have influence in the community,” he said. “It’s good to offer clear access from familiar people to the community. It helps.
“And the one shot, that sold itself. I think a lot of people were waiting,” he said.
“Today we are giving Johnson’s vaccine. It’s just one shot and you’re done. We just got it last week,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, LaSalle’s president and founder. “It’s as effective as the others at preventing serious disease or death. That’s up to nearly 100 percent.”
During Saturday’s clinic, he stood outside, answering questions and sharing light-hearted banter with people waiting in line.
Dr. Michael Andrew Owens, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church, speaks with Edward Hoffman III, of Redlands, March 20, 2021 at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Hoffman is sitting in the observation area after receiving the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. After receiving the vaccine, patients are observed for 15 minutes for any immediate adverse effects. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“After your shot, you may get a slight fever tonight. But don’t worry. It’s just a case of Saturday Night Fever,” he joked with one man.
Vicki Creighton, from Riverside, said she was eager to get vaccinated Saturday.
“I feel confident, and I feel it’s going to be great. My mom and dad are 88 and they had their shots,” she said.
Deborah Neal, from Lake Elsinore, said she learned of Saturday’s clinic when a friend shared a flier from New Hope.
“I sure am relieved, especially since it’s one shot,” she said.
Dr. Arteaga told her, “You notice that we are taking everyone who comes and not finding reasons to turn people away.”
The Rialto clinic, San Bernardino clinic on Mount Vernon Ave., and Hesperia clinic are certified vaccination centers. For more information on LaSalle Medical associates at http://www.lasallemedicalassociates.com
About LaSalle Medical Associates LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent.
(Redlands, Calif.) Inland Empire residents who receive both scheduled doses of the Covid-19 vaccine are so well-protected that their chances of becoming seriously ill from the virus are virtually zero two weeks after their second shot, said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates.
About two weeks after the first dose, the level of protection is approximately 50 percent, and two weeks after the second dose, the level of protection is about 94 percent, Dr. Arteaga explained Feb. 19.
And in the unlikely event that someone did come down with the illness two weeks after the second shot, it would be a much milder case, he said.
“About two weeks after your second shot, you are virtually assured that you won’t die from this scourge,” he said. “Getting the vaccine is something to be proud of, something to share with others.”
LaSalle Medical Associates operates clinics in Fontana, Hesperia, Rialto, Victorville and two in San Bernardino. The clinics have been administering the Moderna vaccine for almost six weeks, and Arteaga said it’s highly effective based on what he’s seen.
He believes the other vaccines being used in the United States are probably just as effective.
Arteaga said that some critics may point to the six-percentage point difference between 94 percent and 100 percent to question the Moderna vaccine’s effectiveness, but the percentages are for the population at large.
“Six percent is a very low percentage,” he said, and some people may be at a higher level of protection than the general population.
“When we get the vaccine, we don’t hoard it. We give it out as quickly as we can,” he said.
The recent storms that hit parts of the United States have affected LaSalle to some degree, he said, but, at the worst, vaccinations would be briefly paused until new shipments are received, he said.
Dr. Arteaga said he has received both doses of vaccine himself, and he did not suffer any severe reactions.
“I had mild soreness in my arm after the first dose,” he said. “It’s the second dose that tends to give a little more of a reaction, and I did feel like a mild flu for about 24 hours after the second dose, but it quickly cleared up.
He said he believes it’s OK for people to take Tylenol if they suffer discomfort after their second dose.
“We have had vaccines for other illnesses forever, and we tell mothers, ‘Yes, give your child some Tylenol.’ There are no signs that it blunts the immune response. It’s a theoretical possibility, but it’s just theoretical. Go ahead and take your Tylenol.”
Dr. Arteaga is a nationally recognized expert on immunizations. In 2012, he was honored by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which selected him as California’s first “Childhood Immunization Champion.”
About LaSalle Medical Associates: LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle Medical Associates leads SB County Clinics in opening during this Covid Lockdown with strong protections for Patients and Medical professionals.
We keep in clinic staff to a minimum, reducing possible people who can bring in an infection. All billing and call center staff work at home with secure computers and phones provided by LaSalle.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Three months ago, LaSalle Medical Associates stopped seeing patients in person in all six of its clinics. All hospitals doctors’ offices and clinics also closed with only emergency rooms remaining open.
“In 36 years as a doctor I never had a problem like this. Including a general shut down of society. It’s a new experience for us and for everyone. So, we don’t have anything to fall back on as a template to follow,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
“LaSalle is implementing the best patient solutions possible with direction from Center for Disease Control (CDC) and American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga. “LaSalle is handling 600-700 phone consults per week, with video when possible.”
LaSalle’s new guidelines for patient care include:
Temperature check for each doctor, nurse and all medical staff member before entering the clinic.
We keep in clinic staff to a minimum, reducing possible people who can bring in an infection.
All billing and call center staff work at home with secure computers and phones provided by LaSalle.
We removed most objects from the walls as they collect dust and provide home for possible contamination.
Patients exam rooms are minimalist; this insures rapid and thorough cleaning.
Once the patient exam rooms are cleaned and disinfected, they remain unused for 10 minutes (checked with a timer). Per manufacture instructions the disinfectant is effective in about one minute. The added time is giving an increased margin of protection.
We perform a temperature check for each patient before entering the clinic.
All staff is wearing masks/face shield while in the clinic. Doctors. have the option to add the use of gloves and gowns as needed. Doctors change PPE after seeing each patient.
Prescriptions are now sent to the pharmacy electronically to reduce possible infection from paper prescriptions.
“We want to establish a new normal as close to the old normal as possible,” said Dr. Arteaga. “If we put everyone in a space suit that would work, but it’s not practical. We are minimizing risk to the providers and the patients.”
“As of last week, well childcare was scheduled once again (for up to seven years of age), with outreach going out to these patients emphasizing well child checkups and immunizations,” said Dr. Arteaga.
He added, “For patients older than seven years all the way up to adults and seniors, they will be seen in person in during a phone consult it is determined that an in-person visit is medically necessary.”
LaSalle doctors suggest if you feel sick, take your temperature. If it’s over 100 degrees, call your doctor right away!
-end-
About LaSalle Medical Associates
LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Locations are in: Fontana, San Bernardino, Rialto, Victorville and Hesperia. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates six clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP).
LaSalle Medical Associates leads SB County Clinics in opening during this
Covid Lockdown with strong protections for Patients and Medical professionals.
Temperature check for each doctor, nurse and all medical staff member before entering the clinic. We removed most objects from the walls as they collect dust and provide home for possible contamination.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Three months ago, LaSalle Medical Associates stopped seeing patients in person in all six of its clinics. All hospitals doctors’ offices and clinics also closed with only emergency rooms remaining open.
“In 36 years as a doctor I never had a problem like this. Including a general shut down of society. It’s a new experience for us and for everyone. So, we don’t have anything to fall back on as a template to follow,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, president and founder of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
“LaSalle is implementing the best patient solutions possible with direction from Center for Disease Control (CDC) and American Medical Association (AMA) guidelines,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga. “LaSalle is handling 600-700 phone consults per week, with video when possible.”
LaSalle’s new guidelines for patient care include:
Temperature check for each doctor, nurse and all medical staff member before entering the clinic.
We keep in clinic staff to a minimum, reducing possible people who can bring in an infection.
All billing and call center staff work at home with secure computers and phones provided by LaSalle.
We removed all objects from the walls as they collect dust and provide home for possible contamination.
Patients exam rooms are minimalist; this insures rapid and thorough cleaning.
Once the patient exam rooms are cleaned and disinfected, they remain unused for 10 minutes (checked with a timer). Per manufacture instructions the disinfectant is effective in about one minute. The added time is giving an increased margin of protection.
We perform a temperature check for each patient before entering the clinic.
All staff is wearing masks/face shield while in the clinic. Doctors. have the option to add the use of gloves and gowns as needed. Doctors change PPE after seeing each patient.
Prescriptions are now sent to the pharmacy electronically to reduce possible infection from paper prescriptions.
“We want to establish a new normal as close to the old normal as possible,” said Dr. Arteaga. “If we put everyone in a space suit that would work, but it’s not practical. We are minimizing risk to the providers and the patients.”
“As of last week, well childcare was scheduled once again (for up to seven years of age), with outreach going out to these patients emphasizing well child checkups and immunizations,” said Dr. Arteaga.
He added, “For patients older than seven years all the way up to adults and seniors, they will be seen in person in during a phone consult it is determined that an in-person visit is medically necessary.”
LaSalle doctors suggest if you feel sick, take your temperature. If it’s over 100 degrees, call your doctor right away!
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About LaSalle Medical Associates LaSalle Medical Associates is one of the largest independent minority owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. laSalle Has Clinics in: San Bernardino, Fontana,Rialto, Hesperia and Victorville. The corporate headquarters are in Redlands.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., operates six clinics employing more than 120 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino County. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP).
Additional Information and side bars Before reopening how did LaSalle see patients
Before reopening LaSalle implemented different ways of treating patients. “We came up with measures to protect staff and patients we started using video consultation when possible and phone consultation when video wasn’t available,” said Dr. Arteaga.
LaSalle’s doctors had patients come to the office in person if they needed in person care. “We had patients check in, then wait in their cars until we were ready to see them,” said Dr. Arteaga.
LaSalle reduced their clinics from six locations to four. LaSalle is currently making 600-700 consults phone/Video per week more than 120 a day.
“To my surprise the patients have accepted and used the service. We usually have a complaint or two, but we haven’t had any complaints!”, said Dr. Arteaga.
“LaSalle is not testing patients at this time. We don’t have testing protocols or reliable test kits to use, as current tests are unreliable. Testing is mostly beneficial for predicting spikes and infection rates. We hope this will pass this year,” said Dr. Arteaga.
Protecting yourself everyday
How can you protect yourself during this pandemic? According to Dr. Arteaga we should all: Wash your hands before every meal. Stop holding hands when we pray around the table.
Please think safety, please don’t go to church, there is too much chance of contamination. Try online or a drive-in service where you stay in the car is okay. Were a mask when you are outside. If you feel sick, take your temperature and if it is high call your doctor right away!
