COVID-19 Townhall: Dr. Harold J. Tucker on How GBMC is Keeping Patients Safe

Harold J. Tucker, MD, GBMC’s Chief Medical Officer and President of GBMC Health Partners talked with WBAL NewsRadio about the steps the hospital continues to take to protect patients and why it’s important for people with chronic health problems or medical emergencies to come and receive the care they need.

“We’ve been carefully following our metrics, and because of the pandemic, we have seen some patients living with chronic diseases like diabetes and heart disease drifting away from the optimal control they used to have, which includes regular visits with their physician to monitor and treat their condition,” Dr. Tucker said. “All our physician practices and the hospital have processes in place to isolate patients with potential infectious diseases, including COVID-19. All patients are tested before they’re admitted to the hospital and all across our organization, we follow social distancing, masking, and handwashing guidelines, as well as ensuring healthcare providers and staff use appropriate personal protective equipment. I feel it’s quite safe.”

Dr. Tucker explained that if you’re not yet comfortable coming into the office, GBMC offers video visits. During these visits, your doctor can assess whether you need to be seen in person. And there’s no excuse to avoid your flu shot out of concern about going into your primary care physician’s office. GBMC offers drive-through flu shots.