COVID has created a lot of ongoing chaos this year with debates over misinformation, the severity of the virus, the best preventative measures, and how best to proceed. Even with this uncertainty, one thing is for sure; organizations must demonstrate confidence to their patients that they can treat them while still keeping them safe.
A great way to demonstrate confidence is to follow all precautionary measures and have your patients see you practicing them! Let patients see surfaces being cleaned before and after being touched, everyone (patients, staff, vendors, etc.) in masks, and hand sanitizer available for use. Consider scheduling a 30-minute intense cleaning every 3 -4 hours, avoid scheduling patients during these times when possible.
Exam Room Safety Tips
Depending on the size of the practice, consider having teams that work together to reduce the risk of transmission. For example, one physician and a group of 2-3 nurses or medical assistants working together and using the same exam rooms.
Minimize air transmission by keeping the exam room door closed to minimize shared airflow and pathways.
Between patients, allow 15 minutes to pass to let any particles in the air lessen and then thoroughly sanitize all surfaces before the next patient.
While in the examination room, stress to your patients the importance of leaving the mask on at all times, even if alone in the room.
Wash hands or sanitize hands in front of the patients.
Breathe Easy!
This pandemic has added even more stress to healthcare workers than before! Many of which have had to balance family and work demands while still trying to stay healthy. It is important that all employees, even supervisors, are taking breaks throughout their shifts to have the opportunity to de-stress. Encourage employees to take breaks outside and in their cars to take a break from their masks.
As healthcare professionals demonstrate care and confidence for their patients, let Healthcare Compliance Pros expertly handle your compliance needs! Contact us today for a Free Compliance Assessment!