While many people visit the doctor’s office for things like obtaining a physical, treating an injury, or a simple wellness check, it’s also a place people visit when they’re sick. While sicknesses aren’t universally contagious, some are. With the rise of illness and the continuation of the global pandemic, you’ll want to ramp up your precautionary measures to keep people safe. In order to facilitate a clean, safe environment, implement the following steps to keep your doctor’s office safe.
Hand Sanitizing Stations
Maintain a few key checkpoints in the office. If you have automatic doors at the front, this decreases the amount of touching people need to do. A lot of germs hang out on surfaces that a ton of people touch. Keep a hand-sanitizing station at the front door. Include a sign that tells people to use it. If you don’t have a touchless way to sign in, keep hand sanitizer next to the pens and any other surfaces your patient touches.
Temperature Checks
If a patient’s temperature is above a certain range, it’s important to know this before you begin administering services. A temperature scanning kiosk will help you become aware of how contagious and sick a patient really is. Invest in a high-quality thermometer in order to ensure accurate readings each time.
Routine Cleanings
Depending on how busy and crowded your practice becomes, it might be wise to wipe down the surfaces of the entire office on an hourly basis. It’s pretty common for pediatricians to keep toys in the office for children to use until it’s time for their appointment. It might be best to get rid of the communal toy area and replace it with a large television screen to keep children occupied. Use wipes, Lysol sprays, and bleach to deep-clean all of the areas multiple times throughout the day. Consider hiring someone to solely focus on sanitizing the office throughout the day.
Masks
In many communities, the mask mandate is no longer in effect. Still, you have the right to dictate what happens within the walls of your doctor’s office. As patients make their appointments, be sure to remind them that there is a mandatory mask mandate in place. You can also provide disposal masks at the front of the office for people to wear. However, masks help to slow the spread of viruses. When you’re working in a facility that provides services for sick patients, it’s best to decrease the spread of germs as much as possible.
It’s a privilege to maintain patients for your practice. Always keep that in perspective. You honor that privilege by making sure you facilitate a healing environment where people feel safe. Safety is paramount. When a person visits the doctor, it’s important to provide a considerate bedside manner. If they don’t feel comfortable, they’ll find another doctor. By including these steps in your daily routine at the office, you’ll increase your chances of retaining patients who feel safe enough to stay and get better.
Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max.
