COVID-19 has changed the way healthcare facilities and medical practices deliver patient care across the world. Most medical practices in the US have re-opened, and the majority are adhering to strict safety procedures provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Among these guidelines are social-distancing measures for physician practices, which take very careful planning and coordination. In addition, to measures such as wearing masks, frequent handwashing, and disinfecting below are a few tips for practicing social distancing in the medical practice:
- Optimize the use of telehealth whenever possible.
- Consider allowing most administrative and back-office employees to work remotely.
- Reduce the number of employees allowed in common areas such as breakrooms.
- If there are work areas, ensure computers are arranged at least 6 feet apart.
- Try to transition educational or administrative meetings to virtual.
- Consider closing the waiting room and asking patients to wait in their cars or outside the practice until they receive a text or call to enter the office. Implementing a digital check-in solution will help practices reduce the handling of paperwork.
- Limit visitors to only those essential for a patient’s physical or emotional well-being and care. If possible, consider using separate entrances for sick and well patients.
- Assess all visitors for fever and other COVID-19 symptoms before entry to the facility.
- Limit potential exposure by keeping exam room doors closed. Ideally, designate an exam room in the back of the office for suspected patients, far away from other staff and patients.
- Training- assess the need for training and review of COVID-19 screening and triage protocols, patient management, use of PPE, patient communications, and policies and procedures. Make sure to document all training provided and maintain records in administrative files.
If your practice is seeking safety or COVID-19 social distance training, contact the experts at MedSafe. MedSafe is the nation’s leading one-stop resource for outsourced safety, training, and health compliance solutions. We offer a wide variety of onsite and online training courses, including OSHA Safety, Corporate Compliance, HIPAA, Billing Compliance, and Harassment and Discrimination in the Workplace.
MedSafe is offering a free course on social distancing coming soon!
Contact us today for a free training consultation.
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