INTROUCTION

COVID-19 pandemic is testing the limits of healthcare resources around the world, including developing and developed nations.

With entire countries and states/provinces on lockdown, we as healthcare providers have the responsibility of limiting the spread among ourselves, our staff and our patients.

There are several places in the world where healthcare providers, hospitals or facilities have to make independent decisions on which services they can provide during this time.

Based on our shared experience here in Ontario, Canada, the widespread consensus, that most of my colleagues who I have spoken to, is that health care at this time should only be limited to essential, urgent and emergency visits only.

Our waiting rooms and procedure suites should be closed for routine visits. Patients should be triaged on the phone and only be told to come in if needed. There could be signs outside our offices indicating a number to call for guidance, before anyone enters the waiting area. 

Patients aggregating in waiting areas will inevitably lead to the spread of infection among patients, visitors, staff, providers, and their families.

Here are some practical suggestions that I have gleaned from discussions with colleagues around the world: –

1. Whenever possible, provide care virtually through telemedicine or telephone or app-based services. Try not to have patients waiting in the waiting area. They should wait outside the office in their vehicles if possible. Some of the options for providing virtual care include whatsapp for business (you can link your office phone number and make calls/video calls to clients via whats app), zoom, doxy.me (allows a virtual waiting room). Patients need to be informed if these platforms are secured or unsecured and consent obtained. Online methods of receiving payments for services can be explored. 
2.  Retsrict entry of visitors to health care facilities or clinics with patients, unless a patient requires personal assistance.
3. If your field of medical practice allows it, consider closing your office and providing care online or over the phone

   These are pressing times and need massive action from us in the healthcare field. I’m sure that there will be interruptions in our practices with our costs of running practices and hospitals remaining the same.

However, if we can weather this storm together over the next few weeks or months, our communities and ourselves will be for the better in the long term.