Important Updates

Due to current levels of respiratory illness, we’re suspending the requirement of strategic masking for staff, patients, and visitors. However, if you have flu or COVID-like symptoms, wearing a mask during your visit is mandatory. Additionally, if someone accompanies you, they must also wear a mask. Thank you for your understanding.

Andrea to see patients in-person before she moves!

Dear patients of Burke Family Practice that primarily see Andrea Bonanno, NP, While the news of her departure must come as a shock to you, as it has to all of us, we also know that our call volume will now increase due to this announcement.

Our recipe for success, along with your cooperation, includes the following:

1. We have set aside three weeks in July for Andrea to see patients in-person before she moves. She will begin to see patients virtually mid-August.

2. We have created a dedicated message line for any patient who would like to schedule their appointment, and we ask for your patience while we call patients back in the order in which the messages are received.

3. Andrea welcomes portal messages with well wishes, but please know she might not get to all of them in a timely fashion.

4. We will also be assisting patients with their transition to other providers in the practice for their Wellness, and Urgent Care needs. In order to continue to see Andrea in the future, Burke Family Practice will need to remain your Primary Care Provider for continuity of care purposes.

Thank you in advance for your kind consideration while we adapt to these changes.

We look forward to serving you in the best way we can.

Respectfully,

Justine Davis Practice Administrator.

Announcement from Andrea Bonanno FNP-BC

Dear Burke Family Practice Patients, With bittersweet excitement I am announcing that I am moving to Colorado at the end of July, 2023. My husband’s employer is moving our family out West and while this was a very tough decision for us, we are all looking forward to this new adventure.

I started working at Burke Family Practice in 1996 before I was married and I have been very fortunate to benefit from your support for almost 27 years now. Over the years you have watched me get married, cheered me on when I went back to school to become a Nurse Practitioner, helped me raise my boys with all of your sage advice and trusted me as your Primary Care Provider. I will always treasure the caring community that we have built together. I cannot say enough how much you all mean to me. The *good news* is that I do not intend to leave the community entirely! I will continue to see patients in person through the third week in July, and then I will begin to see patients virtually from Colorado the second week of August. I have secured the proper licensing to see patients virtually while living in Colorado. I will be available for medication management, consultation and any urgent care matters that can be handled appropriately virtually. I will need you to see a Burke Family Practice provider in person for your Wellness exams and any urgent care matters that need in person attention. I look forward to collaborating with the other wonderful Providers at our practice regarding your care. You will be in the best of hands. I also plan to further my education in Psychiatry so that Burke Family Practice patients can have expanded uncomplicated access to quality, affordable mental health care with a Burke Family Practice Provider they already know and trust.

Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your and your families’ lives for so many years and I look forward to seeing you virtually from the foothills of the Rocky Mountains!

Most sincerely,

Andrea Bonanno, FNP-BC

Closing Early December 9th, 2022. And Office update

Dear Patients,

We apologize for any inconvenience but letting you all know in advance that for this upcoming weekend, we have scheduled the final phase of the practice renovations which includes full carpet replacement, and will also be celebrating at our offsite 2022 Holiday Party.

*On Friday, December 9th, we will be closing the office at 11 am. *

*On Saturday, December 10th, the office will be closed for our same day, acute care clinic. *

*All administrative questions or issues will not be attended to until Monday, December 12th, so please call us today at 703-978-4200 if you need refills or to make your next appointment.

* Thank you for your continued patience and working with us during the current flu and covid season.

We have made many practice modifications to allow more sick visits to be seen in the office, which we will implement in the coming weeks. This will include scheduling Urgent Care Visits in the sick exam room we built and utilizing our new Phreesia platform to allow patients to wait in their car and text us when they arrive. If Covid is suspected, a virtual visit will be required, and we have drive-up testing as needed.

*Please remember we require mask usage at all times in our office.

* Many patients, even though reminded repeatedly, still arrive without their masks. There are very large signs posted out front as well. We do offer hard to wear KN95s, but it is best that you do not enter our office without a mask on. This is a safety concern we have for our elderly and immunocompromised patients that we try to keep safe from any type of virus exposure at all times, so your cooperation is much appreciated for this initiative. We wish you all a very happy and healthy holiday season, and please know we are always trying our best to serve your needs better.

Respectfully,
Justine Davis,
Practice Administrator.

*PLEASE NOTE MY NEW EMAIL ADDRESS AS OF 7/2022 IS*

*Justine.Davis@BurkeFamilyPractice.com*

Closing Early August 5th, and Office update

Closing Early on Friday, August 5th, 2022 and Update on the Practice

Dear Patients,

*This announcement is to inform you that our office will be closing early today, Friday August 5th at 1:45pm due to an office meeting reviewing a recent assault that occurred at the practice.* We now have a new platform of communications through Phreesia, and are utilizing this service for an easier and more efficient check-in process – eliminating paper forms where we can, and allowing patients to easily pay copays and balances, while maintaining a touchless environment. The adoption is going very well, and we thank you for your use of, and patience while we implement this new process!

The reason for closing early today is that we are having an office meeting to review the recent assault directed at two of our staff members in the practice. We have taken this very seriously and we have had many inquiries about this. We want to let you all know that none of our staff were physically injured, but the repercussions of this incident were terrible for these staff members and the entire practice. When one of us is harmed in any way, we all suffer the consequences. The message that we set on our main phones lines was far reaching to every social media platform, and hopefully, these notifications may have made a difference to anyone and everyone to understand how better to work with *ANY PERSON* who works in a customer service environment moving forward during this pandemic.

I would like to remind you that none of us asked for the Covid-19 pandemic, and how it upended all of our lives, most especially in the workplace. This includes our staff and providers as well. And now that we have been forced to return to a more “*new normal*” existence, we remain front line workers who come to work each day in the face of danger in order to serve our patients in the very best way that we can. All we ask from you is that you treat our staff kindly, and professionally at all times. There is no cause for contentious conversations with any of our staff members, for any reason. Due to the constant surge of Covid cases in our area and the higher volume of calls we receive, we may not be able to always respond in a timely fashion, or satisfy every patient’s requests due to many of the policies and procedures in place – but there is *NEVER* a reason to yell at, use profanity towards, or mistreat our staff or providers, at any time.

*All calls are recorded for quality purposes*. Our staff are now being trained to recognize abusive and belligerent behavior and when to pass off calls and inquiries to a manager. If you use profanity of any kind, they are directed to hang up the phone immediately. Once any incident occurs, your case will be reviewed, and a decision will be made regarding you, and your family’s status in the practice. Being a member of the practice is voluntary on both sides, and once the trust is broken, sometimes it’s hard to come back from that. Our providers are very concerned about the way our staff is treated, so please be mindful the next time you call or come to the office – and remember, *a little kindness goes a long way*. One bad phone call or in-person experience can ruin everyone’s day. Try to remember that we wish to be your partner in health, and we hope that together, we can make that happen in a kinder, gentler way.

Thank you for taking the time to read this announcement, and we look forward to seeing you, or hearing from you again soon.

Covid Vaccine Updates from the VA Department of Health February 26, 2021

  • BURKE FAMILY PRACTICE DOES NOT HAVE ANY OF THE COVID VACCINES, NOR DO WE ANTICIPATE RECEIVING THEM IN THE NEAR FUTURE – IF YOU CAN GET YOUR VACCINE ELSEWHERE, PLEASE DO SO.   THE VA DEPT OF HEALTH HAS ISSUED THIS LATEST UPDATE:
  • Based on our population, Virginia will begin receiving approximately 161,000 doses of vaccine per week from the federal government, an increase of 25% over the current weekly allocation of approximately 129,000, and 53% more than Virginia’s initial weekly allocation of 105,000 doses. While these increases are significant, there are still not enough doses available for everyone who is eligible to receive them. Virginia expects to meet the demand for Phase 1b in March or April. Pre-registered individuals may need to wait weeks or longer for available appointments.
  • As part of the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program, 36 CVS Pharmacy locations in Virginia receive 26,000 first doses per week beyond Virginia’s normal allocation. Anyone 65 years of age or older can check cvs.com regularly for available appointments. The number of weekly doses and retail locations participating are expected to increase in the coming weeks. The Virginia Department of Health will continue to help CVS select locations based on equity indicators, to ensure all populations have access to vaccines. https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/additional-pharmacy-networks-added-to-federal-partnership-to-provide-no-cost-covid-19-vaccines/
  • Additional pharmacies are receiving approximately 26,000 first doses per week, including Food City, Giant, Kroger, Safeway, Walgreens, Walmart, and multiple independent community pharmacies. The Commonwealth is helping these pharmacies select locations to maximize the equitable distribution of vaccines and offer appointments to people on existing local health district waitlists.
  • Virginia is seeing delays in this week’s vaccine shipments because of severe winter weather. The Commonwealth will likely see a delay in the delivery of approximately 106,800 doses because distribution channels in the Midwest and elsewhere are currently shut down. The Virginia Department of Health is distributing guidance to providers on how to determine the status of their vaccine and ancillary supply orders, and is working closely with federal partners to determine the status of orders and how to mitigate the delay and impact on Virginians.
  • Virginians can get information, pre-register, and verify that they have pre-registered, online 24/7 at virginia.gov or by calling 1-877-VAX-IN-VA (1-877-829-4682) 7 days a week, from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm ET.

Best Practice Spotlight

V-safe is a smartphone-based tool that uses text messaging and web surveys to provide personalized health check-ins after patients receive a COVID-19 vaccine and allows CDC to monitor vaccine safety. As of January 24, ACIP reported that only 9.52% of COVID-19 vaccine recipients completed at least one v-safe check in. For this reason, it is important to provide patients with a v-safe handout in the most appropriate language and ensure they know how to sign up. Consider using the following best practices:

  1. Stock your clinic with v-safe handouts that suit the anticipated language and accessibility needs of your patient population.
  2. Package the v-safe handout, EUA Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers, and other education or consent forms (if applicable) and give to patients before their appointment. For example, email the package to patients after online registration, put it in their patient portal, or send it with the appointment reminder.
  3. Encourage patients to sign up for v-safe during their post-vaccination observation period and/or remind them to sign up during check-out.

 

COVID-19 Vaccine Information

Burke Family Practice does not have vaccines to administer, but here is the latest update from the Virginia Department of Health:

“Vaccine supply continues to be limited and many providers and patients still have questions on when vaccination will be available for those who are eligible. Anyone eligible for Phase 1a or 1b based on *occupation* should check with their employer to see if arrangements have already been made for vaccinating their employees. If not, they should register with the local health department in the locality where they work. Anyone eligible based on *age or medical condition* should register with the local health department in the locality where they live. Virginia has confirmed that the District of Columbia and Maryland are following the same approach. Because expected supply is limited, it may be weeks or longer before vaccination appointments become available for those who have pre-registered.”

Dear Patients and visitors to our office:

Thank you for your continued patience as we have been slowly trying to re-open the office safely and effectively during the Covid-19 Pandemic.

Here is the latest update on where we are, and what we have been doing to get us through the transition – please understand we have always had your best interests in mind, and that we are trying to keep everyone safe during an unprecedented pandemic that has been deemed as not under control as of this posting, which was not expected.

  1. We have collected a healthier supply of PPE for our Providers and staff to use for in-person visits. This took four months to accomplish due to the severe interruption in the supply chains. (We have 8-9 providers and 15-20 staff to outfit on any given day.)
  2. We offer Nasal Swab Covid-19 testing to our existing patients (seen within-in the last three years), with a Virtual Visit in advance to place the order. We do not have the Rapid Test available. We cannot guarantee a quick turn-around for results based on the country’s testing capabilities. Testing times are Monday-Friday only, and twice a day at a time that is pre-determined. We will help each patient navigate the best testing options if needed. At no time do we allow any patients in the Office or Waiting Rooms who are exhibiting any of the tell-tale symptoms of the virus, nor will we see patients who are known to be positive for the virus in the office.
  3. We will order Covid-19 antibody testing for patients during a Virtual Visit. Currently our Quest onsite lab is closed indefinitely, but patients are successfully utilizing the Sunrise lab upstairs from our office. (Patients who strictly use LabCorp or Quest labs still must utilize those facilities, and can check online for availability for testing and locations.)
  4. We built another waiting room to allow for staggered visits, and patient separation and spacing as needed for in-person visits. But we simply cannot go back to seeing 100-120 patients in a day anytime soon, therefore the in-person office visits are going to be restricted. We are trying to work out how best to do Wellness Visits due to the face-to-face time limitations for providers with their patients, but to date, have no plan that works in place. We apologize for this inconvenience.
  5. We monitor temperatures for all employees who come to the office and anyone who enters or works here wears masks and practices social distancing. We re-arranged the staff work stations to ensure this. Clinical staff who work with patients have protective gear at all times, and our check-in and check-out processes have changed as well to move to a touchless environment where possible. We have tested all employees thus far for Covid-19 and will continue to perform testing of all employees regularly.
  6. We installed a new front door security system that allows for video chat, and easy entry once someone has been screened. This will curtail any unauthorized walk-ins, and keep out anyone who has not been screened properly.
  7. We have a box at our Business Office door for any patients to drop-off forms or information for the staff or the providers. Or you can email your requests to burkefamilypractice@gmail.com – we review all requests daily and get back with you as soon as possible. All forms will have a fee assessed.
  8. We have brought back most of our staff to the office, but providers may still be working at home on any given day, so your continued patience is appreciated while we work out communication issues.

Please call before you come to our office!  At no time will any person be allowed entry into our office who is not already scheduled for a visit, and anyone will be denied entry if they are not wearing a mask/face covering. There will be no exceptions to this rule.

We have new office hours in place as of July 27, 2020:

Monday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Wednesday: 8:00am – 5:00pm
Thursday:8:00am – 5:00pm
Friday: 8:00am – 3:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am – 11:30 AM (For acute care via Virtual Visit only)

We have new phone hours in place as of July 27, 2020:

Monday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Tuesday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Wednesday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Thursday: 7:30am – 4:30pm
Friday: 7:30am – 2:30pm
Saturday 8:45am – 11:15am

For Virtual Visits, all you need is a valid email, a smartphone or iPhone, and we do the rest. We will help you work through technical difficulties as needed!

If you do not have the proper technology or smart phone to complete a Virtual Visit, we will do every effort to accommodate you, and an in-person visit may be scheduled, or you will be directed to urgent care or the ER depending on the severity of the issue.

Please stay safe, and be well! Call us if you need us, we are doing our very best to stay open and helpful for all medical issues, including COVID-19 pandemic questions and concerns. We will email you orders as needed, or post them in your portal account. Thank you!

Dr. Cheryl Ostrowski has left Burke Family Practice

We are sorry to announce that Dr. Cheryl Ostrowski has left our practice as of May 1, 2020. This was planned in advance, but due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, we had no way to alert patients during the time our office remains closed. We wish her the best in her endeavors! Please call our office to schedule a virtual visit appointment with one of our other providers today!

Washingtonian Top Doctor

Dr. Anderson was recognized by his peers as one of Washingtonian Top Doctors in 2015!

Set Yourself Up for the Privia Patient Portal

An interactive way to keep in touch with Burke Family Practice and your health, the portal allows you to view lab results, pay your balance online, update demographics, and provides you with your visit summaries and education materials! Call the office and the receptionist can assist you with setting up your portal account!

2017-2018 Flu Vaccines Are Here! Call to schedule.

Flu season will be upon us soon, and we want to be sure you are vaccinated! The clinic will be offering the flu shot, including the high-dose vaccine, for our patients beginning in September! Call at the end of August to schedule yourself and your family for a flu shot.  Slots are limited, so call soon.  We will not be offering the nasal flu vaccine this year.  Click here to read about the flu season from the CDC.