COVID-19 REOPENING PLAN

26 MAY 2020

STATEMENT
BC Public Health, the BC Centre for Disease Control, the College of Naturopathic Physicians of British Columbia and WorkSafe BC have approved the reopening of medical clinics in British Columbia.

Effective 1 June 2020 the Farnsworth Clinic will be easing into re-opening with services available via telemedicine as well as in-clinic visits.

Our primary concern is the delivery of safe, appropriate medical care that protects our patients, our staff and our community. We have taken the necessary precautions to screen patients for signs, symptoms and possible exposure to COVID-19 and have adopted protocols including distancing, hand hygiene, surgical mask provisions and sanitizing to ensure the safest delivery of medical care.

We continue to offer telemedicine services and will be adding limited office visit services beginning in June.

For some patients telemedicine may be the best model for care. These patients include individuals with lung disease, diabetes and immune compromise as these conditions may place patients at higher risk for COVID-19 complications.

In other instances in-clinic care is appropriate. These services include visits to the clinic for physical examination and physical medicine such as spinal care and ultrasound treatments.

BC Public Health will continue to monitor COVID-19 outbreaks and may revisit guidelines to reopening of the economy including community care in private medical clinics.
SIGNAGE AND POSTERS

The Farnsworth Clinic will display posters reminding of COVID-19 signs and symptoms and support references (including 811). In addition signage will remind patients of social distancing, hand hygiene and PPE donning and doffing instructions

SCREENING

Patients will be screened for COVID-19 signs, symptoms and risk factors when appointments are made and again the day of appointment. The doctor will screen again commencing care.

Screening Questions include:
-Do you have a fever, a new cough, a worsening chronic cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing?
-Have you had close contact with anyone with acute respiratory illness or have you traveled in the past 14 days?
-Do you have a confirmed case of COVID-19 or have you had close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 or are you awaiting COVID-19 test results?
-Do you have 2 or more of the following symptoms: Sore throat, runny nose/sneezing, nasal congestion, hoarse voice, difficulty swallowing, decrease or loss of sense of smell, chills, headaches, unexplained fatigue/malaise, diarrhea, abdominal pain, or nausea/vomiting?
-If over 65 years of age are you experiencing any of the following: delirium, falls, acute functional decline, or worsening of chronic conditions?

SOCIAL DISTANCING

The Farnsworth Clinic employs social distancing protocols. Patient visits are scheduled allowing for only one patient inside the clinic at any given time. Signage, floor markings and Plexiglass barriers have been placed to ensure social distancing.

PATIENT ARRIVAL

Unless a chaperone is essential, patients are to attend appointments alone. Patients are instructed not to arrive early as the waiting room is closed. Upon arrival patients are asked to remain in car until invited into the clinic for care. Patients are instructed to wash hands and don a mask for the duration of care, and wash again before leaving.

CLINIC ENVIRONMENT

The clinic doors will be locked at all times. Unnecessary items such as children’s toys and magazines will be removed. COVID-19 posters as described will be displayed prominently. Alcohol-based sanitizers will be available in reception, treatment rooms and examination rooms. Hand hygiene posters, hand soap, paper towel and trash bins will be available at water stations.

CLEANING PROCEDURES

Treatment rooms, examination rooms and frequently touched surfaces will be cleaned before and after each patient visit. General surfaces will be cleaned twice daily. Treatment rooms will be ventilated between visits.

DELIVERIES

The clinic doors will be locked at all times. A doorbell will be utilized to notify staff of supplier delivery. Packages will be placed in a socially distant location and wiped down with bleach-based disinfectants prior to being brought into inventory.

CONTINGENCY PLANNING

High-risk patients (elderly, heart disease, diabetes, lung diseases, immune compromised, cancer care patients) will be screened and encouraged to utilize telemedicine.

Patients reporting COVID-19 symptoms or associations with known cases will be referred to 811.

STAFF PLANNING

Regular safety meetings will be conducted and documented. All staff will be advised to stay home if sick and will be provided sick pay. Staff will be instructed on all of the above protocols and the donning and doffing of PPE.