COVID-19 Policy/Procedures Updated 05/04/2020
IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR UPCOMING APPOINTMENT
Dear Valued Patients,
The health, safety, and well-being of our patients and staff are always our top priority. Business will not be as usual until there is a vaccine or an effective treatment for COVID-19. Until then, our office is following strict hygienic protocols and a stringent set of standards concerning interactions with our patients. These standards are meant to maintain social distancing as much as possible, decrease the amount of time we spend within six feet of each other, and limit our face-to-face time. Although the process of checking in, performing eye exams, and assisting with your eyewear will be different from pre-COVID-19 days, you will still receive our high level of service and care.
We need your help to maintain a safe place for one another:
- We ask all patients with symptoms of illness (that may include fever, chills/repeated shaking with chills, cough, runny nose, achiness, fatigue, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing, sore throat, new loss of taste/smell) to call and reschedule their upcoming appointment and call their primary care doctor immediately.
- We will be calling all patients before their appointment to confirm that they are not feeling ill AND have not travelled or been exposed to someone with an illness in the past 2 weeks. If patients believe they may not be completely symptom free or may have been exposed to the corona virus, their appointment will be rescheduled for at least two weeks later.
- We ask patients with RED and/or WATERY-STICKY eyes to call our office for further instructions. COVID-19 can show up as conjunctivitis (pink eye), so we must be extra careful with this.
- We will check your temperature prior to entering the clinic. Any patient or person accompanying a patient who comes in with a fever, cold or flu-like symptoms will be asked to reschedule.
- We recommend routine visits for patients age 65 and older or in poor health to highly consider rescheduling to a later date.
- We have reduced the frequency of appointments to minimize the number of people in the office and allow for social distancing. This will also provide us time to disinfect the clinic in between patients.
- Please complete your on-line history form at least 24 hours prior to your appointment. Our staff may call and review it with you.
- Please come to your appointment alone or have companions wait in the car. Non-patient companions will only be admitted if they are providing a direct service for the patient, for example: parent/child, physical assistants, language interpreter.
- Please call us from your vehicle when you arrive to virtually check-in. We will let you know when to enter the office. This will help minimize the number of people in the office at any given time and allow for social distancing.
- All patients are required to wear a face mask (surgical or homemade such as bandana or scarf that fully covers mouth and nose) to their appointment and during their entire visit. We will reschedule anyone without a mask. We are unable to provide masks due to PPE shortages.
- Please do not wear gloves into your appointment. You will be asked to sanitize your hands upon arrival. Please try to touch things as little as possible as we have a No-Touch policy in place.
- Our No-Touch Policy is that you avoid touching things as much as possible during your visit to our clinic. Our optical staff will bring frames to you to try on. We disinfect all “tried on” eyewear before returning it to the display.
- An appointment is required to pick up glasses or contact lenses. Please call us in advance to schedule a time. This will help to minimize the number of people in the office and allow for social distancing.
- All staff will wear surgical masks at all times.
- Team members will stay home if we develop symptoms of illness. This may require us to reschedule patient visits (for example: if several staff members are out at the same time or if the doctor is not able to come in).
- We will enforce a NO FOOD OR DRINK policy anywhere in the office. Eating and drinking involves a “hand-to-mouth” motion and may contribute to a “touch”-then-“infect” scenario.
Thank you for your patience, cooperation, and trust during this challenging time as we all work together to keep our community healthy and safe. Please contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions.
BOTHELL VISION CENTER
Rev. 5/4/2020