Back in action with hands on training within our faculty’s private practices
View PDF Version of REVIVE™ Live Event Safety Measures
REVIVE™ Live Training Event Safety Measures
The emergence of COVID-19 as a global pandemic has created unique challenges to ensure the well-being of providers and patients. Due to these unique challenges, we have enforced strict sanitation policies which include; providing appropriate personal protective equipment for caregivers, offering masks to patients, visitors, caregivers, and vendors, limiting access into our facilities, restricting visitation, canceling public events and performing temperature checks on everyone who enters our doors.
Safety measures for patients
To ensure that patients are not coming into close contact with one another, we utilize a modified schedule to avoid high volume or density and limit patient companions to individuals whose participation in the appointment is necessary based on the patient’s situation.
Consistent with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance, we require all individuals who visit the office to wear a cloth face covering. This expectation is clearly explained to patients and other visitors before they arrive at the practice. To facilitate compliance, direct patients to resources regarding how to make a cloth face covering or mask from a household item if needed, such as the CDC webpage. Visitors and patients who arrive to the practice without a cloth face covering or mask should be provided with one by the practice if supplies are available.
Ensure workplace safety for clinicians and staff
Communicate personal health requirements clearly to clinicians and staff. Employees know that they should not present to work if they have a fever, have lost their sense of taste or smell, have other symptoms of COVID-19, or have recently been in direct contact with a person who has tested positive for COVID-19. Screen employees for high temperatures and other symptoms of COVID-19. Records of employee screening results should be kept in a confidential employment file (separate from the personnel file). Minimize contact as much as possible. This includes during the employee screening process, as employees conducting temperature checks have been the potential sources of spread in some workplaces. Consider rearranging open work areas to increase the distance between people who are working. Also, consider having dedicated workstations and patient rooms to minimize the number of people touching the same equipment. Establish open communication with facilities management regarding cleaning schedules and protocols regarding shared spaces (e.g. kitchens, bathrooms), as well as reporting of COVID-19 positive employees in the office building.
Screen patients before in-person visits
Before a patient presents in the office, the practice verifies as best it can that the patient does not have symptoms of COVID-19. Visits that may be conducted via telemedicine should be. For visits that must take place in person, administrative staff contacts the patient via phone within 24 hours prior to the office visit to 1) review the logistics of the reopening practice protocol and 2) screen the patient for COVID-19 symptoms. We utilize a script for administrative staff to follow when conducting these calls. Once the patient presents at the office, the patient is screened prior to entering.