Over the past year, we have all become familiar with the various guidelines and procedures schools and businesses have implemented in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. Masks, temp checks, 6-feet social distancing markers, etc. We know the drill. These steps were necessarily taken as a way to mitigate the spread and help promote safer interactions within our communities.
As a healthcare provider, The Speech Pathology Group and Rehab Services is committed to continuing to provide the best care, and doing so means we will follow all required and recommended guidelines from state and local officials.
While the distribution of a vaccine brings hope for the future, we want to clarify our current policies, so that patients and caregivers understand what to expect on a visit to one of our offices. Many of these you will already be familiar with, but some might be new.
Upon Arrival
When arriving, there will be a few standard procedures that will happen at every visit. These include:
- Temperature: We will take your temperature to check for any signs of a fever.
- Log Sheet: Sign in so we have a record of who was in the facility at specific times, in case contact tracing is required.
- Symptom and Travel Check: Review the list of Covid symptoms, possible exposures and any recent travel risks.
- Masks: Please wear a mask at all times, unless directed by your therapist to remove it.
- Sanitizer: Hand sanitizer is available in each lobby, please use it.
- Shoes: At the Shelton office, please remove shoes and leave them in the hallway.
Ring the doorbell or enter the lobby to let your therapist know you have arrived for your scheduled appointment. They will walk you through the steps above and then accompany the patient to the treatment room.
During a Session
Unless we are working directly with the mouth, tongue and face, masks should be worn. Your therapist will advise when the mask can be removed during the session and when it needs to be put back on. When it comes to our little friends, we know masks can be uncomfortable, itchy and distracting. We will not force a child to wear a mask, especially if it hinders our ability to focus on our therapy goals. Social distancing is not practical during a session, so if there are any exposure risks, please contact our office to reschedule.
Those Waiting on Patients
While both of our locations have waiting rooms, our current policy requests that they be kept empty. We ask parents and caregivers accompanying a patient to return to their vehicle and wait there until the session is over. We understand this may be an inconvenience, but due to the size of our offices, utilizing the waiting rooms at this time is not practical.
After a Session
Once your session is complete, the therapist will escort the patient back to the waiting room to leave or meet their caregiver. Cleanliness and disinfecting are important. Our therapists are brilliant multi-taskers, and with many sessions back-to-back, we have multiple ways to keep our spaces clean. This includes cleaning items immediately after they are used, while transitioning to the next task, setting aside items into a dirty pile to be cleaned at the end of the day, and targeting those high traffic spots in between patients.
Vaccine
With the national roll-out of a vaccine, the staff of SPGCT are considered part of the Phase 1 group of healthcare providers and have begun receiving doses. This will provide one more layer of protection for both our therapists and patients. However, it does not eliminate the need for any of our current Covid policies. Until we are directed otherwise by the governing authorities, we will continue to follow the guidelines and procedures outlined above.
If you have any questions regarding our Covid policies, please let us know.
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