Adapting to new normal: Protocols for patient safety

COVID-19 has infected millions of people around the globe and India. As the government decided to lockdown many cities, the consultation with doctors during COVID-19 has become very difficult for many of the patients. Now that the lockdown has been lifted, everyone is trying to get accustomed to the new normal. However, there's still a fear of getting infected every time we step out of the house as we don't have a vaccine for COVID-19 yet. All we can do for now is to take the suggested precautions. 

As doctors, patient safety has always been the number one concern for us at Inform Clinics. But we understand that now the times are different. So, we have set some mandatory guidelines for consultation as well as procedures to prevent the spread of coronavirus. By simple means of maintaining proper hygiene, wearing masks, wearing PPE kits, maintaining social distancing, and pre-booking of appointments we are trying our best to keep you safe at the clinic. 

At Inform Clinics we have a team of friendly cosmetic surgeons, dermatologists, trained medical support staff who are committed to the quality and safety of the treatments. We follow six shields formula against COVID-19 that includes:

• Regular sanitization of floor & furniture with Hypochlorite solution.

• Packed bottled beverages are offered inside the clinic.

• All the medical practitioners wear fresh masks and PPE kit every day.

• Every patient, visitor, doctor, and staff member entering the clinic has to undergo thermal screening.

• During the non-surgical treatments, doctors wear a face shield and protective masks.

• In the waiting area, the seats are placed at a difference of 3 feet to maintain social distancing.

Here's detailed information about all the safety measures being followed at Inform Clinics:

Cleaning & sanitizing protocol

• This is one of the first shields of formula which prevents the spread of COVID-19. A hypochlorite solution of 5 liters is prepared as soon as the clinic is opened.

• 4 liter of the solution is used to clean floors and the rest is used to wipe doors, handles, and tabletops, treatment equipment, etc.

• The clinic doors and knobs are cleaned after every one hour. The consultation tabletop and treatment chair is cleaned after every consultation.

• No beverage is served inside the clinic except packed bottled water that is provided on request.

• The face shields, protective masks, and other equipment like kidney trays, instruments are put UV treatment at the end of the day.

Staff protocols and guidelines

These guidelines are elaborated to ensure that the patients visit us fearlessly to seek the best advice. The staff guidelines include:

• Sanitizing hands and changing into clinic masks as soon as they arrive at the clinic. They must change into clinic scrubs or the aprons.

• Personal belongings must be kept separate inside the locker and mobile phones must be sanitized.

• Face masks must only be removed for drinking water or having food.

• Frequent use of hand sanitizers.

• Avoid touching doors, door handles as much as possible.

• The clinic masks must be disposed of after the duty. The staff members must put clinic scrubs in the washing bin and normal clothes must be worn before exiting the clinic.

Patient/Visitor handling guidelines

We have also set certain guidelines for the patients so as to prevent the spread of COVID-19. These include:

• The patient must be wearing a face mask and should use hand sanitizer before they enter the clinic.

• A temperature check is done before allowing any patient to enter the clinic. If the patient even reports 99 degrees F, then the patient is sent home with advice to consult a physician.

• Patients whose temperature is normal, the staff may ask for sore throat, cough, and cold. If any of the symptoms are detected then on the consult of doctors in the clinic, the patient will be sent home and will be asked to consult a physician.

• Any vendor entering the clinic will be asked to leave within 5 mins.

• The information of every patient is filled by the officials only.

• During the time of payment, we encourage patients to tender exact change or swipe the card for the least interaction with the staff members.

Treatment protocols

Patients who are looking forward to availing any advanced cosmetic treatment will experience proper safety measures. Doctors and the medical staff will ensure a safe procedure. Treatment protocols include:

• Face shield, protective mask, and gown (PPE) to be worn by the doctors before any treatment.

• The patient must avoid speaking during the procedure and is allowed to talk only with the mask on.

• After the procedure, the PPE kit must be disposed of immediately.

• The mask should not be touched or the face shield should not be removed. Hands must be sanitized after touching any equipment.

• The treatment room or OT where the procedure is performed and all the equipment used are thoroughly sanitized and prepared for the next treatment.  

Every situation has pros and cons. If you look at the positive side, with proper precautions this may be the best time to get done with the cosmetic surgery that you've been planning. As most people are still working from home, this will allow enough rest for complete recovery after any procedure.   

Get in touch with Dr. Dushyanth Kalva for effective and advanced cosmetic procedures. We promise to ensure a safe atmosphere for patients to seek advice and consultation from the best plastic surgeon in Hyderabad.
 

For enquiries you can get in touch with us at info@drdushyanthkalva.com