COVID-19 has changed all of us. It has changed how we interact with people, how we run our businesses, and even how we communicate. There are also many things it uncovered, and in many ways, it made things better… at least for those like me who like order, routine, and precision.
When new rules for disinfection and sterilization first came out, it didn’t have much of an impact because we were already doing everything anyway, plus much more. All the recommendations and regulations were not a surprise to our office and we had been implementing and following strict guidelines like these for a long time. But what was interesting, as a result, is that our patients, and our friends, and our community, did not know anything about what goes on outside of each appointment in our office in order to ensure everyone’s safety and sterilization on a routine basis. So this blog is about helping you see what happens before and after you come in for an appointment so that you not only feel safe, but understand why, as always, we have your well-being, and your health at the top of mind at all times.
Safety is Number 1
Before the start of the day and between each patient, all touch surfaces are disinfected with medical-grade surface wipes, including doorknobs, light switches, counters, chairs, handles, door frames, and washroom facilities.
Each patient is screened, through written, verbal and temperature screening and all symptomatic patients are asked to reschedule to a later date at least 2-4 weeks post-symptoms.
All operatories are disinfected twice between each patient, with HEPA filtration, and each room sterilization and set-up requires at least 30 min to an hour to prepare for any procedure. This is why a “quick” appointment is never a “quick” appointment for us and scheduling correctly has become one of the most important factors in ensuring that everything is done to its full extent and all required instrumentation is ready for your procedure. We follow strict sterilization protocols for every single instrument and tray. Many items are disposable, and one-time use and barriers are placed on all touch fixtures, including lights, mobile handles, and cameras.
Dr. Bis’ particular sense of order can be especially seen when it comes to organization and presentation. She is obsessed with ensuring that everything is aligned and pristine, and goes as far as trimming open boxes with scissors rather than simply ripping them open. Her sense of precision has always been visible in her clinical work but you can see it abundantly clear when you look at how we stock our supplies, how we manage our PPE station, and how we generally take care of the office overall.
New changes to our office
We have created a new position in our office, called the “Clinical Coordinator”. This is a role assigned each week to one person in our office in order to ensure everything goes according to Dr. Bis’ rules and policies. The Clinical Coordinator (CC) is responsible for all implementation and follow-through on all the disinfection and sterilization protocols brought in by Dr. Bis. Throughout the day, the CC will ensure that all protocols are followed and strictly enforced, will help assist with patient care where needed, help coordinate referrals or scheduling, facilitate a smooth and coordinated schedule, and keep track of all inventory and supplies. Since much of our daily supplies are disposable, it is critical to stay on top of the numbers and inventory, and with limited PPE and other items constantly on back-order, this is a full-time job for our CC.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has become one of our biggest challenges in the past year. At the beginning of COVID closures, PPE was scarce and impossible to find. As a result, Dr. Bis went on a personal mission to find suppliers, re-stock our inventory to its maximum, and maintain ongoing re-orders from multiple sources. The constant stress from not having enough initially, plus the exorbitant cost, has created a bit of anxiety that has not been able to leave us since. We may have overdone it as a result, as some of you have noted, but at least now we are over-stocked, have an abundant supply of various types of PPE, and are not worried about how to help our patients in the upcoming weeks as a result.
We are proud to be a part of this incredible team here at SmilesbyBis and want to make sure you know that Your Safety is Our Safety and you are in good hands when you come in for an appointment here. If you have any questions about this topic, do not hesitate to ask any of us when you come in or feel free to call our office.
https://youtu.be/pg5Zp37p6Mk