AAFP tips to prepare your office for coronavirus

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

6. Waste disposal

• No-touch methods should be used to dispose of waste materials with respiratory secretions

• Arrange to use the currently recommended methods for waste disposal

• Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures are appropriate to halt the spread of the virus