The Covid-19 Safety Protocols that Kamloops Osteopathy has put into place are based on references, materials and advice from WorkSafeBC, BC Centre for Disease Control and Osteopathy BC. These protocols are to minimize the transmission of Covid-19 to patients and Kamloops Osteopathy staff.
We understand that these protocols are new and challenging, so we ask that you are patient and understanding while we try to navigate these unknown waters with you.
Pre-Screening of Patients, Practitioners and Staff
Patient Screening Prior to Arrival
A patient, like the Osteopathic Practitioner, must not:
- Have been abroad in the last 14 days
- Have any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, loss of smell or taste
- Have tested positive for Covid-19 in the last month or be waiting for the results of a test
- Have been in contact with a confirmed or probable case of Covid-19 for less that 14 days
If quarantine has been required, it must have been completed.
One day prior a patient’s appointment, we will call to connect personally with the patient to ask them to complete the BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment . The patient will be asked stay home if experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19 including fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of sense of smell. If patients are experiencing these symptoms and have not been tested for COVID-19, we recommend that they do so; they start by calling 8-1-1.
Kamloops Osteopathy staff will use the BC COVID-19 self-assessment tool daily, Any staff experiencing the symptoms of Covid-19 will be asked to self-isolate for 14 days and call 8-1-1.
Informed consent is required. This includes ensuring that your patient understands that while Kamloops Osteopathy staff have taken measures to minimize risk of viral transmission, the nature of osteopathic treatment means that physical distancing is not possible in the treatment room.
High Risk Patients. Some patients are at higher risk for more severe COVID-19 effects. This includes but is not limited to: Age over 70 years and people who are: diabetic, immunosuppressed, undergoing treatment for cancer, suffering from cardiovascular disease and other conditions. If a patient has any of these conditions or feel they are at higher risk, then we ask that the patient let us know beforehand. The patient must feel that the need for an appointment outweighs the risk associated for the patient and practitioner to go forward with an appointment.
Booking Appointments
- Appointments will be booked with a 15min break between them. This provides our practitioners with 15 minutes to change their clothes/mask, clean all high contact surfaces and equipment in treatment rooms and reception after the patient has left.
- Appointment start times will be staggered. This reduces exposure to others in reception.
- Cancellations due to Covid-19. Our cancellation policy will be very flexible to allow last minute cancellations should the patient be exposed to/have Covid-19 within the 24 hour cancellation window.
Patient Arrival
- Patients will be asked to come to their appointments alone. If the appointment is for a minor, then we ask that only one parent or chaperone comes with them.
- Our clinic reception will be closed to maintain social distancing guidelines.
- Patients will be asked to arrive for their appointment on time. If they are early, they will be asked to remain in their vehicle, or asked to wait outside whilst observing the 2 meter social distancing guideline.
- When it is time for a patient’s appointment, they will be text or called by their practitioner and the practitioner will let them inside by opening the door for them.
- Patients are to either bring their own mask or we will provide a clean mask for them to wear on entry.
Patients are to use the hand washing facility on entry to our clinic. There is a sign instructing patients to wash /clean their hands on arrival, and hand washing protocols.
Organisation
- All children’s toys/literature/magazines and unnecessary items from our clinic reception and treatment rooms have been removed.
- Posters reminding patients of social distancing procedure and government guidelines on how to limit the spread of Covid-19 have been put up in the clinic.
- Non-contact trash cans have been placed in reception, treatment rooms and bathrooms.
- Alcoholic disinfectant has been placed in each room for patients and staff to use.
- The bathroom is equipped with hand soap, hand paper and a contactless trash can
Physical Distancing
- Clinic staff, Osteopathic Practitioners and patients must maintain 2 metres / 6 feet of distance in clinic areas other than the treatment room.
- At end of treatment, patients will be accompanied to the exit and the door opened for them (using a hand towel or other sanitized barrier).
- The reception will be closed to use to minimize exposure to Covid-19.
- Staff will work in separate treatment rooms. Staff will not use shared equipment including (but not limited to) computers, tables, and phones unless necessary.
Storage/meals/coats, extra clothes, etc., will be kept in a separate room to the treatment room. - Staff will stagger arrival, departure and break times to minimize the chance of incidental contact.
- Socialising between staff in the practice environment will be avoided.
- It is not possible to maintain physical distancing in the treatment room.
Pre-screening, physical distancing, hand hygiene, and enhanced cleaning help reduce the risk of transmission, and enable return to practice while minimizing risk of harm. - As our patient and practitioner washroom is single use only, physical distancing is easy to maintain.
- We ask that patients be mindful when arrival at Kamloops Osteopathy to maintain social distancing guidelines when using the stairs or waiting outside.
Cleaning Procedure
Clean Before Opening
- When staff arrive to open the clinic in the morning, they will wash their hands for 20 seconds.
- Upon arrival of the clinic, staff will clean all high touch surfaces: door handles, switches, chairs, clinic surfaces, electronic equipment, etc.
- Clean sheets will be installed on the treatment table.
Clean Between Patients
- Practitioners will wash their hands for a minimum of 20 seconds and disinfect door handles, switches, chairs, clinic surfaces, electronic equipment etc.
- The treatment room will be ventilated for a few minutes.
- All bedding/sheets from the treatment table will be removed and placed in the dirty laundry basket.
- Each room will be equipped with a dedicated clean laundry basket and a dirty laundry basket.
- Clean sheets will be installed on the treatment table.
- All high touch surfaces will be cleaned: door handles, switches, chairs, clinic surfaces, electronic equipment, etc.
- The practitioner will clean the treatment table, the table adjustment levers, massage lotion bottles, other equipment, etc.
Frequently Clean
The staff of Kamoops Osteopathy will frequently clean and disinfect common areas and high touch surfaces, at three times a day, e.g. light switches, window coverings, cell phones, tablets, chairs, stools, table surfaces.
- Frequently clean and disinfect (at least three times per day, more if possible):
- handles: doors, cabinets, faucets, fridge, microwave, etc.
- electronic device keyboards and mice, phones,
- arm rests and seats of chairs,
- desk and table surfaces,
- water coolers
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Patients will be asked to wear a mask on arrival and by practitioners during treatment or whenever 6 feet of physical distancing cannot be maintained. Practitioners will wear a mask during appointments.
- N95 masks are not necessary.
- Cloth masks are satisfactory but will be changed between patients.
- Cloth masks will be laundered after each use.
- Due to the close physical contact between osteopathic practitioners/registered massage therapists and patients during treatment, Kamloops Osteopathy staff will be changing their clothing between each patient.
- All other PPE used will be changed and/or disinfected between patients.