This plan was developed with the goal of reducing the risk of exposure to the virus that causes Covid-19 for both patients and the practitioners within our clinical setting. Here, we identify the actions that the therapists at Cascadia Massage and Health Centre will commit to, and that all visiting patients are asked to commit to, in order to resume therapeutic services.
Pre-Screening / Prior to Arrival
- Patients will be informed about their responsibilities at the time of booking. Protocols will be placed on the website, the online booking software and a Covid-19 specific consent form will be required to be signed electronically, prior to arriving at their appointment.
- One day prior to their booked appointment, the patient will be required to complete the online BC COVID-19 Symptom Self-Assessment tool https://bc.thrive.health/covid19/en and to stay home if they experience any symptoms of Covid-19.
- The therapists will also use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool daily and will commit to cancelling all appointments if symptoms appear.
- Symptoms of Covid-19 are similar to other respiratory illnesses and seasonal allergies. An appointment must be cancelled immediately if either the patient or the therapist presents with even mild symptoms that may be signs of Covid-19 including: Fever, Cough, Chills, Shortness of breath, Sore throat or pain with swallowing, Stuffy or runny nose, Loss of sense of smell, Headache, Muscle aches, Fatigue and Loss of appetite.
- No cancellation fees will be charged.
- Patients are asked to understand that, while we’ve taken all possible measures to minimize risk of viral transmission, the nature of massage therapy, athletic therapy and physiotherapy means that physical distancing is not possible in the treatment room.
- In order for treatment to commence, the therapist and patient must agree that the therapeutic benefit of the treatment outweighs any potential risks, including the possibility of viral transmission.
- Patients must confirm that they have neither been in contact with anyone displaying illness, or signs and symptoms of Covid-19 nor have they travelled outside of BC within 14 days prior to their treatment.
- Patients with higher risk profiles and/or weakened immune systems should consider alternatives for care if possible.
Upon Arrival
- Patients are asked to arrive on time for their appointments.
- Patients are required to wait outside the clinic, until their therapist comes to the clinic door to call them in.
- The clinic door will remain locked until the therapist comes out to let their patient in for their scheduled appointment time. The clinic door will be re-opened by the therapist at the end of the appointment for the patient to leave so that the patient will not have to touch the door at any time while they enter or exit from the clinic.
- If possible, patients should arrive unaccompanied.
- Upon arrival patients must confirm that they have done a pre-screening and have no signs of Covid-19.
- The treatment will be cancelled if the patient does not meet the pre-screening criteria upon physical presentation at the clinic.
- Masks must be worn at all times within the clinic space. If the patient has a mask, they are asked to bring it with them and wear it when they arrive. If the patient does not have a mask, a single-use mask will be provided and they will be asked to wear it upon entering the clinic space.
- Upon entry into the clinic, the patient should proceed immediately to the washroom to wash their hands for a minimum of 20sec or to one of the sanitation stations to sanitize their hands for 20sec. The same should be repeated before exiting the clinic.
- If hands are visibly soiled, the patient should opt to wash hands.
- The therapist and the patient will maintain, as best as possible, a space of 2 meters (6 feet) distance between each other in all clinic areas outside of the treatment room.
- It is not possible to maintain physical distancing while in the treatment room.
- Hard to clean and commonly touched objects such as the fabric chairs, water dispenser and business cards have all been removed from the reception area.
- Appointment times are staggered as much as possible to reduce the potential of patients crossing paths, and to allow for time in-between appointments for enhanced cleaning.
Washroom
- The washroom has been equipped with proper handwashing guidelines.
- Soap, water and clean towels will be available at all times.
Hand Hygiene
- The therapist will wash hands thoroughly between patients, before and after disinfecting spaces, and before donning or doffing PPE like facemasks, goggles or shields.
- Hand washing protocols will be posted visibly in the reception area and at the sinks.
In the Treatment Room
- The therapist will open the door to the treatment room and allow the patient to enter, reducing the need for the patient to touch the door.
- Patients will be able to place their belongings inside a plastic tote for the duration of their appointment. Totes are cleaned between each patient.
- With sanitized hands and a tissue to act as a barrier, patients will be asked to open the door for themselves after massage treatments to let themselves out of the treatment room.
- Hand sanitizer is available within the treatment room; patients will be asked to wash or sanitize their hands after the treatment.
- The door and door knobs will be disinfected between each patient.
- At this time, the preferred method of payment is e-transfer. Otherwise a Point of Sale system is available that will be sanitized between each use.
- Receipts will be emailed, not printed.
- Avoid Face Touching
- As coronavirus can be transmitted by touch if droplets are on the hand when it touches the face, tissue will be available throughout the clinic, in the reception area, treatment rooms and washroom, in order for patients and therapists to use to address an itch and/or touch the face for any other reason.
- The therapists and patients will wear a mask at all times within the clinic space.
Enhanced Cleaning
- Additional time has been scheduled between patients to allow for thorough cleaning of the reception area and treatment room.
- Visibly soiled surfaces will be cleaned followed by disinfection with approved disinfectant.
- All high touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between patients, regardless of appearances. High touch surfaces include (but are not limited to):
- Light switches, door knobs, POS machine, electronic devices, table surfaces, chairs, stools, faucets, toilets, sinks etc.
- The treatment table, table levers, face cradle, lotion bottles will be cleaned after each treatment.
- No hydrotherapy supplies, thermophores, or table warmers will be used at this time.
- All linens, including blankets and pillow cases will be laundered using high heat and detergent after each use.
- A disinfected plastic tote has been placed in the treatment room. The patient will be asked to keep all of their personal belongings in this bin during the treatment. Post treatment, this same bin will be used to carry used linens to the laundry room for washing.
- Bins will be disinfected between each patient before being used again.
- The massage therapists will either be changing their clothes between each appointment or will be wearing a clean apron for each patient to reduce the risk of viral transmission between patients.
- A patient gown will be provided for physiotherapy appointments, worn over the patient’s clothing.
In the Event a Patient Tests Positive for COVID-19 Having Been to a Therapeutic Appointment Within the 14 Days Prior to Onset of Symptoms
- The patient is asked to contact the therapist and inform them of positive test results and possible transmission of the virus.
- The therapist will immediately self-isolate and call 8-1-1 to report the possible transmission and act as directed by Provincial Health.
In the Event the Therapist Catches COVID-19 or Displays Symptoms of COVID-19
- The therapist will immediately self-isolate and will call 8-1-1 to report the symptoms and will proceed as directed by Provincial Health.
Asymptomatic Spreaders
- Asymptomatic transmission of the coronavirus is an unavoidable risk of practice until we’ve acquired herd immunity or developed a vaccine against Covid-19.
- We have put into place protocols to help mitigate that risk as outlined in the preceding documentation, but that risk cannot be reduced to zero.
- No guarantees have been made by the therapist that the patient may not come in contact with COVID-19 at or during an appointment.
Thank you for your understanding, cooperation and patience as we work together to keep us all as safe as possible during this time -it’s much appreciated!!
Sincerely,
Cascadia Massage and Health Centre
