The following health and safety precautions are being implemented at Sentiero:
Negative COVID-19 rapid test within 72 hours of in-person appointment
Temperature screenings
Access to Telehealth appointments
Hand washing/hand sanitizer upon arrival
Disinfecting of high-touch surfaces
HEPA filters in all office locations
Masks required
Social distancing
Our patients recently completed a survey regarding recent updates to Sentiero’s health and safety protocols. Feedback from the survey was invaluable and incorporated into our decision-making process. Our protocols were noted by 14.7% of patients surveyed as unreasonable. Nevertheless, there was overwhelming support for in-person treatment (73% of patients surveyed) and that the implementation of such precautions brought 91% of our patients a sense of safety. Areas of improvement were as follows: (1) ensure all are wearing masks in the waiting area; (2) more notice prior to implementation of such protocols; (3) offer rapid testing options at the office; and (4) testing costs can be financially burdensome for some patients. As a result, we decided to offer testing in the office. Rapid (self-administered) tests arrived December 30, 2021 and are now available for $20 (cash/check) or $25 via credit card on file. Excitedly, the test results have been available within 5 minutes (10 minutes at the latest), which has reduced the demand for time. If any patient has a financial hardship and cannot afford rapid testing, please contact Dr. Kierce directly (drkierce@sentiero.org) and she will work with you. Otherwise, we will give as much notice as possible regarding upcoming changes to the protocols and will ensure all are wearing masks in the waiting area (including the team). While our decisions might not appease all, we are always open and curious about the perspectives of everyone who comes into our office.
For more information, please visit the County of San Diego website for COVID-19 or click on the subsequent links provided.
Active Duty Military and Families
Free COVID-19 Testing in San Diego