COVID-19 Update: Protocols for our Reopening
COVID-19 Safety Protocols
Dear Patient Family,
We hope you and your family are all safe and well during this pandemic. In accordance with Placer County’s Public Health Office guidelines, starting May 11th, our office will resume routine care for our patients. We are dedicated to providing you quality care while ensuring you and your loved ones remain safe. In order to do so, we have adopted the following protocols in addition to our current operating procedures:
GENERAL OFFICE
• All people are to wear a face covering while in the office; this applies to all staff, all patients and caretakers.
- Patients may wear a covering from home.
- Patients will be asked to wear gloves (provided by us) while in the office.
- Patients may be asked to use hand sanitizer at various times throughout the exam process.
• Minimize unnecessary contact:
- Aim to maintain six feet of separation between staff and patients at the front desk.
- Use tape (or like) to mark a six-foot distance line on the floor.
- Requesting patients come to office unaccompanied unless it is necessary that you have a guardian/ambulatory help.
- To avoid crowding in the waiting room, patients might be asked to wait in their car, if possible, until they can proceed to an exam room.
- We have removed any unnecessary “high touch” items, such as magazines or toys in the reception area.
- Stagger appointments to minimize patient overlap.
• Propping open front door as much as possible to increase ventilation and minimize touching doorknobs.
• Propping open swinging door between waiting room and optical to minimize touching doors
• Limit non-essential visits by external partners and vendors; continuing to substitute in-person visits with FaceTime, Zoom, or Google Hangout meetings.
OPTICAL AREA
• Ask patients to use hand sanitizer before trying on frames.
• Only staff is to pull frames from our frame boards.
• All frames that have been handled by patients or staff will be cleaned appropriately based on material sensitivity and manufacturer’s recommendations.
• After use, all trays will be cleaned with Pure&Clean, an alcohol-based cleaner or another appropriate disinfectant.
• Limit number of patients in the dispensary area so that they may maintain six feet of separation.
PATIENT APPOINTMENTS
- As promised, those who had appointments cancelled due to the Shelter in Place directive will have priority for their upcoming appointments and will be contacted first.
- Patients over the age of 65 and immunocompromised patients are encouraged to postpone their appointments until shelter in place protocols have been relaxed.
- We will still accept emergency patients
- If appointments cannot be postponed, they will be scheduled at 9AM or 4PM to decrease their exposure with other patients and ultimately decrease their risk of exposure.
- We will be limiting the number of new patients we accept during this time
Prior to patient appointment:
• Contact patient to ask about symptoms and exposure status
- Reschedule appointments for patients who have had symptoms of COVID-19 (fever, cough, shortness of breath) within the past 72 hours.
- Reschedule appointments for patients who have potentially been exposed to COVID-19, if they fit the criteria for self isolation per CDC guidelines.
• Inform patient about need to wear a face covering to the appointment.
• Ask patient to call when they arrive in the parking lot to check-in over the phone.
When patient arrives for appointment:
• Ask about symptoms and exposure status; reschedule appointments per guidelines above.
• Check temperature prior to admittance into the office with non-contact thermometer.
• Encourage hand hygiene upon arrival and dispense pair of gloves.
Our staff will also be following strict protocols that include daily personal symptom checklists, hygiene directives, and cleaning procedures, among others. If you have any questions about our guidelines, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Thank you for your understanding of our new safety measures. Please see our FAQs for more information. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact us. We look forward to serving the community again!
Dr. Chin, Dr. Brenner & Staff
(530) 823-8353