General Covid 19 Policy

• Screening questionnaire to patients, visitors, and staff
Staff Dialogue: To patients, visitors, and staff, these questions are designed to help promote everyone’s safety. We are asking the same questions to all patients. Please answer to the best of your knowledge. Would you answer YES to any of the following questions?

Have you been in contact with someone known to have COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
Have you personally had COVID-19? If so, have you been released by your MD to return to activities?
Has a public health official told you that you may have been exposed to COVID-19 in the last 14 days?
Have you experienced fever, cough, or sore throat currently or within the last 14 days?
Have you been out of the Country in the last 30 days?
Have you traveled elsewhere in the US in the past 21 days?

Staff Action: If the patient answers “yes” to any of these questions, notify the local Health Department. Follow their guidance and offer Telehealth as an option if appropriate. If they answer “no”, but develop a fever, cough, or sore throat prior to their visit, please call immediately to cancel their physical therapy appointment. If they answer “yes” to either of the travel questions, it does not eliminate them from being treated in the office, but further questioning may be required. If a patient, visitor, or staff member tells us that they have Covid-19 or suspects that they have Covid-19 and we have treated them within the last 14 days, they will be directed to report this information to their local health department.


• Temperature screening of patients, visitors, and staff
All patients, visitors, and staff coming into the office shall be screened for a temperature greater than 100.0 degrees.
Staff Action: Anyone with a temperature of greater than 100.0 will be sent home and instructed to seek medical guidance.


• General clinic protocol
• Patients and visitors are required to wear a mask. When scheduling appointments while in the clinic, patients and administrative staff will maintain social distancing guidelines. Patients will be scheduled in a manner that will allow for the adherence to social distancing guidelines with the understanding that occasionally adjustments may be required. Patients are required to perform hand washing for 20 seconds using soap and water prior to beginning their treatment. Staff, patients, and visitors will be encouraged to avoid hand contact with eyes, nose, or mouth during their interactions in the office.
  
  Staff Action: If patients or visitors do not have a mask, they will be asked to stay outside until an office representative issues the individual a surgical mask. Also, they will be asked to wait outside of the waiting room if the six feet (6 ft.) social distancing guideline cannot be met in the waiting room upon their arrival.
  
  All visitors will be encouraged to remain outside of the clinic. If the patient prefers, they can wait safely in the parking lot in their vehicle.
  
  Staff Action: If they choose to wait in their vehicle or as a pedestrian outside of the office, they will be called when the density of people in the waiting room is appropriate.
  
  
• New patient waiting room protocol
Intake forms and a clipboard will be issued upon arrival. The clipboard will be sanitized prior to the transfer to a patient. Patients will be asked to use their personal pen to complete the forms, if they do not have a personal pen, a pen will be sanitized and issued to the patient. Upon completion of the intake process, the patient will be directed to wash their hands and reminded to avoid contact of their hands to their face. If a transaction of payment is required via credit card, the patient will place and remove their own credit card in the credit card machine.


• Staff communication with patients prior to arriving at the facility
Staff Action: Administrative personnel will let patients know about the clinic’s commitment to protecting patients and visitors against a Covid-19 transmission. They will inform the patient that a mask is a requirement and will be encouraged to bring their own pen. If a patient does not want to wear a mask or has issues (such as claustrophobia), an alternative treatment such as telehealth will be offered.


• Social distancing
The six feet (6 ft.) social distancing guideline will be adhered to when possible. However, it becomes necessary to be closer than six feet when hands-on treatments are required as part of the physician certified Plan of Care and/or standard of care for the patient’s impairment and diagnosis.
• Posting of Supplemental Section of ICP
Staff Action: Staff will post on door a sign that has the following content:

If you have a fever, cough, or shortness of breath, please refrain from entering and call the office to notify the staff.
You are required to wear a mask upon entering. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided for you.


Thank you.
Mid Florida Physical Therapy