New COVID-19 Guidelines Means You Don't Have To Delay Regular Doctor Visits
Posted on: 27 July 2020
The impact of Covid-19 has affected everyone in a variety of ways. Fear and uncertainty have made patients delay regular doctor visits for routine checkups and other needs.
To help ease fears and keep patients safe, doctors have implemented new guidelines and procedures to ensure a safe visit to a doctor's office. Patients do not have to fear regular office visits when needed.
Mask Wearing
Doctor's offices are requiring all patients who enter the building to wear masks. The mask helps ensure the safety of all by reducing the spread of viruses and germs.
Some doctor's offices have closed waiting rooms and require patients to call from their vehicles to check in for a visit. The nurse comes out to the parking lot to make sure the patient has a mask and enters the office through a back door and straight to an examination room.
Temperature Checks
Your doctor's office and other medical facilities will check your temperature before you enter the building. This helps ensure a person who may be ill is not in contact with other people who are in office for a routine checkup and other reasons.
If someone has a fever, this person is escorted to a separate location in the facility away from others. The staff at doctors' offices top priority is ensuring patient safety.
Sanitizing Stations
While visiting the doctor's office, take advantage of the hand sanitizing stations as you pass them to keep hands germ free. Use these if you've touched any surfaces or shared items in the waiting room or exam room as well.
Distancing From Others
The doctor's office will require distancing if the waiting room is open to patients. This means all chairs will be at least six feet apart and patients should adhere to these guidelines.
Disinfecting Areas
Magazines and toys usually seen in office waiting rooms are not allowed because they are unable to routinely disinfect these items. These shared items pose a risk to everyone who enters the room and passes them around.
The staff is required to adopt a disinfecting schedule to keep the waiting room and other areas of the facility germ-free.
You can safely visit your doctor as needed as long as you and the staff in the office adhere to the guidelines for safety during this pandemic. There is no reason to put off regular checkups and other necessary visits to your doctor's office during this time.
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