Checklist to Prepare Physician Offices for COVID-19 ASSUMPTION: Transmission will be primarily through exposure to respiratory droplets and direct contact with patients and their contaminated environments. Universal Early Preparation within six feet of patients with suspected COVID-19 infection. (See approved respirators). Provide training ☐ Educate staff and patients about changes they for staff on respirators to ensure fit and appropriate can expect to be implemented in the office use. during an outbreak or pandemic, and about ways to prepare themselves and their families. • Ensure adherence to standard precautions, including airborne precautions and use of eye protection. Assume that every patient is potentially infected or COVID-19 Education colonized with a pathogen that could be transmitted in • Educate staff about coronavirus disease 2019 a health care setting. (COVID-19), and why it is important to contain the • Implement mechanisms and policies that promptly outbreak. alert key facility staff including infection control, health • Educate staff on facility policies and practices care epidemiology, facility leadership, occupational to minimize chance of exposure to respiratory health, clinical laboratory, and frontline staff about pathogens including SARS-CoV-2, the virus that known suspected COVID-19 patients (i.e. PUI). Keep causes COVID-19. updated lists of staff and patients to identify those at risk in the event of an exposure. • Train and educate staff with job-or task-specific information on preventing transmission of infectious • Staff should follow the CDC guidelines collecting, agents, including refresher training. handling and testing clinical specimens from (PUIs for COVID-19. • Educate staff about COVID-19 evaluation and treatment. • Prepare for office staff illness, absences, and/or quarantine. Physicians should plan for increased • Educate staff about alternative office management absenteeism rate. plans. • Cross-train staff for all essential office and medical • Educate staff on how to advise patients about functions. changes in office procedures (e.g., calling prior to arrival if the patient has any signs of a respiratory • Review proper office and medical cleaning routines. infection and taking appropriate preventive actions) Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures are and developing family management plans if they are appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 in health care settings, exposed to COVID-19. including those patient-care areas in which aerosol- generating procedures are performed. Products with emerging viral pathogens claims are recommended Office Preparedness for use against SARS-CoV-2. Management of laundry, • Design a COVID-19 office management plan that food service utensils, and medical waste should also includes patient flow, triage, treatment and design. be performed in accordance with routine procedures. • Consider designing and installing engineering controls to reduce or eliminate exposures by shielding staff and other patients from infected ☐ Plan for cross-coverage with other health care individuals. professionals in your community and participate in • Provide hand sanitizer, approved respirators, face local hospital planning exercises. shields/goggles, surgical masks, gloves, and ☐ Identify materials and supplies required for care to gowns for all caregivers and staff to use when be delivered during an outbreak or pandemic, and suppliers that can provide those materials. Order consisting of a disposable surgical mask, facial appropriate materials and supplies. Guidance for tissues, and cleansing wipes to all symptomatic optimizing use of PPE or reusing PPE. patients. ☐ Contact representatives at your office’s waste- • Attempt to isolate all patients with suspected disposal service regarding plans for appropriate symptoms of any respiratory infection using doors, waste disposal so that they can prepare for an remote office areas, or negative-pressure rooms, if increased amount of waste materials. At this time, available. there is no evidence to support the need of different • Evaluate patients with acute respiratory illness waste management protocols for facilities caring for (ARI) promptly. patients with COVID-19. • After delivering care, exit the room as quickly and ☐ Stay informed. Visit your state and local department directly as possible (i.e., complete documentation of health’s website weekly or develop a reliable in clean area). method for routine epidemiologic monitoring. Make • Clean room and all medical equipment completely appropriate connections with local and state health with appropriate cleaning solutions. department staff. ☐ Become knowledgeable about available testing and ☐ When possible, reorganize waiting areas to keep treatment as that information becomes available. patients with respiratory symptoms a minimum of 6 feet This should include, general recommendations on away from others and/or have a separate waiting area COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and for patients with respiratory illness. Prevention (CDC); Work with your state and local Consider arranging a separate entrance for health departments on diagnostic testing protocols ☐ symptomatic patients. and procedures. ☐ Schedule patients with ARI for the end of a day or at ☐ Ensure that you and your staff are familiar with another designated time. specific public health reporting practices legally required in your area. Familiarize staff with proce- ☐ Provide no-touch waste containers with disposable dures on transporting patients from your office to liners in all reception, waiting, patient care, and the hospital or other facility if required. restroom areas. ☐ Post signage in appropriate languages at the ☐ Provide alcohol-based hand rub and masks in all entrance and inside the office to alert all patients reception, waiting, patient care, and restroom areas for with respiratory symptoms and fever to notify staff patients with respiratory symptoms. Always keep soap immediately. dispensers stocked with handwashing signs. ☐ Post signage in appropriate languages with pictures ☐ Discontinue the use of toys, magazines, and other to teach/remind all patients about correct respira- shared items in waiting areas, as well as office items tory hygiene and cough etiquette. Specifically, they shared among patients, such as pens, clipboards, should cough and sneeze into a tissue (which then phones, etc. should be properly discarded), or into the upper ☐ Dedicate equipment, such as stethoscopes and sleeve. Remind patients to use appropriate hand- thermometers, to be used in ARI areas. This equipment washing technique. should be cleaned with appropriate cleaning solutions for each patient. Consider the use of disposable Triage and Patient Flow Systems equipment when possible (e.g., blood pressure cuffs). ☐ Develop a triage protocol for your practice based on patient and community outbreak. Additional Options to Prevent Community Transmission ☐ Recommend that patients with respiratory symptoms and fever call the office before arrival. Per the CDC, please consider the following options to prevent the spread of community transmission. Develop ☐ Implement alternative patient flow systems. optional protocols and procedures for your practice based • Distribute respiratory prevention packets on patient and community outbreak. ☐ Explore alternatives to face-to-face triage and in a personal vehicle, or by a health facility vehicle such visits. such as providing more telemedicine as an ambulance, not via public transportation. appointments. Guidance for implementation and ☐ Notify the recipient of a referred/transferred patient that a payment. suspected COVID-19 case is being referred/transferred. ☐ Learn more about how health care facilities can ☐ Implement appropriate public health reporting proce- prepare for Community Transmission. dures. ☐ Designate an area at the facility (e.g., an ancillary building or temporary structure) or identify a location in the area to be a “respiratory virus Waste Disposal evaluation center” where patients with fever or ☐ No-touch methods should be used to dispose of waste respiratory symptoms can seek evaluation and materials with respiratory secretions. care. ☐ Arrange to use the currently recommended methods for ☐ Cancel group health care activities (e.g., group disposal of dangerous waste. therapy, recreational activities). ☐ Routine cleaning and disinfection procedures are ☐ Postpone elective procedures, surgeries, and appropriate for SARS-CoV-2 in health care settings, non-urgent outpatient visits. including those patient-care areas in which aerosol- generating procedures are performed. Products with emerging viral pathogens claims are recommended Referral or Transfer of Patients for use against SARS-CoV-2. Management of laundry, Definitions: Self-monitoring, food service utensils, and medical waste should also be Quarantine and Isolation: performed in accordance with routine procedures. • Self-monitoring is regularly checking temperature and watching for signs of respiratory illness, such Checklist of Required as fever cough or shortness of breath, according Equipment/Supplies to the CDC. • Quarantine is used to separate and restrict the ☐ Health care facility should provide Personal Protective movement of well persons who may have been Equipment in accordance with current CDC guidance and exposed to a communicable disease to see if OSHA’s standards (29 CFR 1910). they become ill. These people may have been ☐ Clear signage with pictures recommending patients call exposed to