Coronavirus responses
Brittany Stresing
Description
Collection
Title:
Coronavirus responses
Creator:
Brittany Stresing
Date:
3/16/2020
Text:
Hi everyone,
I had a LOT of responses and about 20-25 were people curious about what
others are doing and wondering what they should be doing. We need to be
responsible for our staff as well as potential to harm patients so I
appreciate everyones input and ideas.
Here are the responses I received:
1-Emergency or urgent care only at this time. May change day to day.
But reduced staff in office for paperwork & billing.
No Nursing home visits.
2-More sanitizing - all touch surfaces multiple times a day…including
electronics, phones, keyboards
Masks for all patients with any cough or symptoms and immediate
decontamination/sanitizing as soon as they leave, minimizing their contact
with staff and other patients. These people are the ’next to be seen’ so
they are not sitting in the waiting room any longer than absolutely
necessary.
Limiting guests of patient to minimum possible in waiting room.
HEPA Air filtration in waiting room, front office, and all patient rooms
with UV lights to kill airborne - each room filters multiple times an hour.
Reinforced hand washing before and after each patient and glove use
Front office staff must wash hands going to and leaving their work stations.
No sharing of work stations. Attempting to keep social distancing of >5’
spacing between people - between staff members and as much distance with
patients as possible.
No sharing of food or drink - only individually wrapped snacks - the candy
bowl at the check out desk was removed.
Any employee not feeling well or with fever must call-in. We have the
ability to work remotely for front office staff if needed.
Routine follow up is now PRN or by telephone with in-office appointments as
needed.
For staff - No vendor visits - only travel allowed is for direct patient
care.
also removed all magazines, brochures, and similar from waiting room.
3-Our office at this time is staying open with and increase in sanitation
of our facilities while we can still get supplies. Scheduling hasn’t been
drastically effected yet but I assume it will be a light patient load for
the next 2-3 weeks.
4-We're staying open as long as we can
5-we’re basically taking it day by day at this point.
6-Business as usual. We use hand sanitizers and Clorox wipes already, so
no worries here.
7-well how do you handle someone with the flu ?
8-So far,we are sanitizing more and requesting anyone who is sick or
caring for someone sick to not come in.
9-Not shutting down. Can't get many patient's to come in for deliveries. We
are, however, posting signs to stay away if ill and doubling our efforts to
sanitize the office.
10-We are limiting non-urgent appointments (routine 6-month follow-ups) and
prioritizing patients that need new devices to function. We can't
completely shut down since we need the income to maintain the business!
But yeah, doing the screening questions, encouraging employees to stay home
if sick or any immune system issues and working remotely if possible.
Anyone with children that need to be taken care of can have a remote option
if that's a possibility since the schools have shut down for 2 weeks.
Disinfecting surfaces excessively between every patient. Slowing down the
patient flow so there is not so much congestion in the waiting room.
Limiting non-essential hospital visits.
11-We are canceling all follow-ups and asking patients to complete a sign
in questionnaire sheet when they arrive.
I had a LOT of responses and about 20-25 were people curious about what
others are doing and wondering what they should be doing. We need to be
responsible for our staff as well as potential to harm patients so I
appreciate everyones input and ideas.
Here are the responses I received:
1-Emergency or urgent care only at this time. May change day to day.
But reduced staff in office for paperwork & billing.
No Nursing home visits.
2-More sanitizing - all touch surfaces multiple times a day…including
electronics, phones, keyboards
Masks for all patients with any cough or symptoms and immediate
decontamination/sanitizing as soon as they leave, minimizing their contact
with staff and other patients. These people are the ’next to be seen’ so
they are not sitting in the waiting room any longer than absolutely
necessary.
Limiting guests of patient to minimum possible in waiting room.
HEPA Air filtration in waiting room, front office, and all patient rooms
with UV lights to kill airborne - each room filters multiple times an hour.
Reinforced hand washing before and after each patient and glove use
Front office staff must wash hands going to and leaving their work stations.
No sharing of work stations. Attempting to keep social distancing of >5’
spacing between people - between staff members and as much distance with
patients as possible.
No sharing of food or drink - only individually wrapped snacks - the candy
bowl at the check out desk was removed.
Any employee not feeling well or with fever must call-in. We have the
ability to work remotely for front office staff if needed.
Routine follow up is now PRN or by telephone with in-office appointments as
needed.
For staff - No vendor visits - only travel allowed is for direct patient
care.
also removed all magazines, brochures, and similar from waiting room.
3-Our office at this time is staying open with and increase in sanitation
of our facilities while we can still get supplies. Scheduling hasn’t been
drastically effected yet but I assume it will be a light patient load for
the next 2-3 weeks.
4-We're staying open as long as we can
5-we’re basically taking it day by day at this point.
6-Business as usual. We use hand sanitizers and Clorox wipes already, so
no worries here.
7-well how do you handle someone with the flu ?
8-So far,we are sanitizing more and requesting anyone who is sick or
caring for someone sick to not come in.
9-Not shutting down. Can't get many patient's to come in for deliveries. We
are, however, posting signs to stay away if ill and doubling our efforts to
sanitize the office.
10-We are limiting non-urgent appointments (routine 6-month follow-ups) and
prioritizing patients that need new devices to function. We can't
completely shut down since we need the income to maintain the business!
But yeah, doing the screening questions, encouraging employees to stay home
if sick or any immune system issues and working remotely if possible.
Anyone with children that need to be taken care of can have a remote option
if that's a possibility since the schools have shut down for 2 weeks.
Disinfecting surfaces excessively between every patient. Slowing down the
patient flow so there is not so much congestion in the waiting room.
Limiting non-essential hospital visits.
11-We are canceling all follow-ups and asking patients to complete a sign
in questionnaire sheet when they arrive.
Citation
Brittany Stresing, “Coronavirus responses,” Digital Resource Foundation for Orthotics and Prosthetics, accessed November 2, 2024, https://library.drfop.org/items/show/209861.
