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AAFP tips to prepare your office for coronavirus
March 12, 2020
1. Education
- Educate staff about the coronavirus, about policies and practices aimed at minimizing exposure, about job- or task-specific information aimed at preventing transmission, about evaluation and treatment, and about how to advise patients about changes in office procedure.
2. Office preparedness
- Design a COVID-19 office management plan
- Consider installing engineering controls to limit exposure by shielding staff and other patients from the infected
- Provide hand sanitizer, approved respirators, face shields, goggles, surgical masks, gloves, and gowns to all physicians and staff to use when dealing with the infected
- Ensure adherence to standard precautions
- Create mechanisms that alert key staff to suspected COVID-19 patients
- Follow CDC guidelines on collecting, handling, and testing specimens
- Plan for office staff illnesses, absences, and quarantine
- Cross-train staff for all essential office and medical functions
- Review proper office and medical cleaning routines
3. Office preparedness (continued)
- Plan for cross-coverage with other healthcare providers
- Identify materials and supplies required for care to be delivered and order them
- Contact your office’s waste disposal service about plans for appropriate waste disposal and warn of possible increases in waste
- Stay informed by visiting your state and local health department’s website weekly and make appropriate connections with department of health staff
- Learn about available testing and treatment as it becomes available
- Ensure you and your staff are familiar with legally required public health reporting in your area
- Post signs alerting patients suffering from respiratory symptoms to alert staff immediately and with reminders about proper respiratory and hand hygiene
4. Triage and patient flow systems
- Develop triage protocol based on patient and community outbreak
- Recommend all patients with respiratory symptoms and fever to call before arrival at the office
- Implement alternative patient flow systems
- Reorganize waiting areas and entrances to keep those with respiratory symptoms at least six feet from asymptomatic patients
- Schedule patients with ARI for later in the day or other designated times
- Provide no touch waste containers with disposable liners, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, and masks in all areas for patients with respiratory symptoms
- Discontinue use of toys and magazines in waiting areas including office items such as pens, clipboards, and phones
- Dedicate medical supplies to only be used in ARI cases
5. Referral or transfer patients
- Home isolation may be required for patients awaiting diagnostic test results inform them of such
- Transportation should be handled by a previously exposed family member or personal vehicle or health facility vehicle NOT public transportation
- Notify the recipient of a referred or transferred patient that they are receiving a suspected COVID-19 case
- Implement appropriate public health reporting procedures