Protocols Put in Place to Reopen Our Office
1. Doctors will be wearing scrubs to ensure another level of safety and changing back to regular clothes at the end of each office day.
2. Our doctors and staff will be protecting their mouth, nose, and eyes using PPE (Personal Protective Equipment).
3. Disposable gloves will be worn for those involved with direct patient care.
4. A protective barrier at the front desk has been put in place. Receptionists will wear protective equipment, which will consist of masks, face shields, and/or goggles.
5. Appointments will be scheduled to reduce the number of patients waiting in the office.
6. The office will be restricted to patients only, unless they require assistance.
7. Patients should notify the office by phone when they arrive, and only be allowed in when they are about to be seen. Patients that come by car can wait in their vehicle.
8. Patients will be encouraged to wear a mask or a covering over their mouth and nose. If they do not have a covering on arrival, then a mask will be provided.
9. Temperature screening of patients will be performed with a non-contact thermometer. Those with an elevated temperature will not be permitted access. A telephone conversation or telemedicine consult can determine the next steps in patient care.
10. Patients will be asked to use a disinfectant on their hands on arrival and departure.
11. Waiting rooms will be set up to follow social distancing guidelines. We have eliminated high-risk surfaces such as magazines.
12. A slit lamp breath shield will be used in the doctor's office.
13. For routine office visits in asymptomatic patients, consideration can be given to fundus imaging without dilation to minimize the patient's time in the office.
14. Slit lamps, tabletops, exam chairs, waiting room chairs, doorknobs, and other surfaces will be wiped down after each patient. The restrooms will be cleaned frequently. Dr. Christopher Vanclief, DC of Chiropractic Health Clinic through his local Brewery (Brock Street Brewery) has provided us with the proper supplies for cleaning and disinfection during the Covid-19 Pandemic.
15. To minimize face-to-face time in the office and hence exposure, consideration can be given to the use of phone calls or telemedicine. This may be appropriate for triage, the consultation itself, management, and counseling. Video conferencing will be available through the telemedicine platform Doxy.me. Also on our website ( https://www.pellegrinoeyecare.ca), a link will be provided to download patient history forms and medication lists that can be filled out by patients at home. The forms can be submitted by email, which allows minimal contact, thus resulting in less time in the office.
16. In the Optical, we will utilize UV sterilization to disinfect all glasses that patients wish to try on, so the frames will not be damaged and are kept clean.
