CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As facilities and establishments continue to open across the country, there will be no returning to “normal”. COVID-19 has altered our standards for health and safety and with that, procedures have been put in place specific to each industry. Grocery stores, banks, food establishments and personal services all have specific protocols in place that may differ throughout, but the priority remains uniform across the board: safety.
A group of physicians, representing over 100 Medical Doctors across Canada, collaborated to develop a consensus document of standards and protocols that is intended to guide the reopening of medical clinics that provide surgical and non-surgical aesthetic medical procedures. Dr. Rohan Bissoondath, an Executive Board member of the Canadian Association of Aesthetic Medicine, and founder of Calgary’s Preventous Cosmetic Medicine, was involved in the process of producing the final recommendation. In addition to the input from these medical professionals, existing regulations were referenced from: various Public Health bodies, Provincial infectious disease regulations, College of Physicians and Surgeons protocols, Ministry of Health COVID-19 Guideline publications, US Dept of Labor, Health and Safety regulations, AHC guidelines on continuous masking, Infection Prevention and Control Guidance and Environmental Cleaning.
“Our group’s recommendations are practical and straightforward. We all come from medical backgrounds and practices where our facilities were always meeting and exceeding Public Health standards. It’s now evident that these higher standards must be the new normal. I’m proud that our professional community and our Calgary based clinics have been able to contribute with this leadership," said Dr. Rohan Bissoondath.
The recommended standards and protocols are derived from practices long proven in hospitals, operating rooms, medical clinics and doctors’ offices. These are now practical and recommended in other day to day client-practitioner interactions. For personal safety and the safety of those around, there are practices to follow prior to visiting any establishment. In addition, there is an extensive list of protocols that physician managed offices and facilities performing medical and surgical procedures can follow.
Before visiting any medical facility, it’s a recommendation to answer a COVID-19 screening questionnaire, similar to visiting many other establishments. In this case, it is asked at the time of booking, 24 hours prior to appointment day and upon arrival in the facility. Due to the scarcity of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), it’s encouraged for individuals to bring their own mask when possible.
“All staff should be equipped with surgical masks and hygienic barriers should be placed at reception. Expect to have your temperature checked upon arrival and you should not be expected to handle physically reused paperwork to fill out, unless it is taken home with you. Waiting rooms should be visibly rearranged to support social distancing guidelines and all reusable reading materials should be removed. If you’re required to wear a gown, bins for used gowns should be clearly marked and easily accessible. Staff are required to wash gowns in a sanitizing high heat cycle.”
In addition to clear and high standards in our physical facilities the future of aesthetic medicine expects to see an emphasis on virtual consultations and follow up appointments. Virtual consultation is recommended when appropriate, such as to obtain informed consent or images prior to the virtual visit if needed to facilitate patient care. “Virtual visits are here to stay,” says Dr. Bissoondath. “It’s a great way to improve the process and reduce physical contact. It also allows us to extend our services to clients outside our normal smaller markets. We can complete proper and productive consults and offer it in less time for our patients and clients.”
In addition to strict hand hygiene, Dr. Bissoondath shares a shortlist of other must-dos for staff as they prepare for the reopening of Preventous Cosmetic Medicine:
● Abundant hand sanitizer and mask availability throughout the process
● Keep their use of phones and keyboards and common touch items private and clean.
● Eliminate public beverages and snacks
● Ensure that your clinic is diligent even when the client is not there
● Direct staff about their standards including what to wear, where and how
● Layout and a regimented process should make it easy and comfortable for the client to distance and stay clean
He also suggests the following checklist for clients to prepare for their next appointment:
● As a client are you seeing the staff distance themselves from each other?
● Has the clinic eliminated furniture and gathering areas to accommodate distancing?
● Has the clinic eliminated common shared objects like magazines and brochures?
● Is anything the client is expected to touch, (pens or brochures) something that’s brand new and clean and one time use?
● Have supplies been put away and only brought out one at a time as needed?
● Are there clearly marked disposal bins for laundry or used supplies?
About the Company
Preventous Cosmetic Medicine provides innovative skin health solutions and a completely personalized experience to its clients. The Preventous approach to cosmetic rejuvenation is about enhancing natural beauty without drastic change because patients strive to look as good as they feel. Services feature leading skin care treatments and technologies and a hand-selected team of specialized physicians, nurses and client care staff. The patient experience has been thoughtfully considered for optimal discretion, luxury and comfort, and above all, safety.
Through years of dedicated practice, its commitment has been to provide innovative skin health solutions and an environment dedicated to extraordinary care.
