Your staff are overwhelmed with an increase of phone calls from scared patients about recent symptoms, traveling, masks and more. You can help your front desk staff better manage questions and provide proper advice to reduce fears and schedule needed care. Prep staff to handle the chaos with expert answers ready for your use.

Q: I Have a Trip Scheduled to Go to Asia. Should I Go?

A: The CDC has posted travel alerts on different countries based on the potential health risk. You can view the risk assessment by country map to identify what risk level the country you plan to visit is ranked. Based on that information, the CDC offers these recommendations for different levels:

• Warning – Level 3 travel notice: Avoid all nonessential travel to these destinations because of the risk of getting the Coronavirus.
• Alert – Level 2 travel notice: The Coronavirus can be more serious in older adults and those with chronic medical conditions, so if you fall into those categories, you should discuss the risks with your healthcare provider and consider postponing travel to destinations with level 2 travel notices.
• Watch – Level 1 travel notice: The risk of getting the Coronavirus at these destinations is considered low, so the CDC doesn’t recommend canceling or postponing travel to these destinations, but if you do you should follow usual precautions such as:
• Avoid contact with sick people.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean your hands often—especially after going to the bathroom, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing or blowing your nose—and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based (60%–95%) hand sanitizer.

Q: We Are Going on a Plane Trip in the US. What Is My Risk to Get This Virus? Should We Go?

A: The risk of Coronavirus in the US is still relatively low, and airplanes filter the air in such a way that viruses don’t generally spread easily. If you do take flight, keep a distance of about a yard from sick passengers, and follow proper handwashing and sanitary precautions.

Q: I Had the Flu Vaccine. Will It Protect Me Against the Coronavirus?

A: No, the flu vaccine is not effective against the Coronavirus and currently there isn’t a vaccine to prevent it. Your best protection is to avoid exposure. The CDC recommends standard preventive measures, including:

• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

Q: I Tried to Get a Face Mask but Can’t Find One Anywhere. Does Your Practice Have Some It Can Provide?

A: Face masks are recommended for symptomatic patients to prevent them spreading the virus by sneezing or coughing; Face masks are not intended for healthy people to wear to guard against getting Coronavirus. Face masks are exposed on the side so they cannot prevent the virus from entering the lungs. However, they can be effective in preventing people from touching their faces and putting the virus where it can enter the lungs. There is currently a global face mask shortage as well. The CDC recommends face masks for symptomatic individuals and their care givers. Healthcare workers who are in contact with patients who have confirmed or possible infection should wear respirators, which prevent inhaling the virus’s small particles.

Q: I Have a Cough, But Feel Fine – Should I Be Concerned?

A: While a cough is a symptom of the Coronavirus, it doesn’t mean you have the virus. At this point, individuals in the United States have a low exposure risk. To assess your symptoms, keep in mind that they may appear 2-14 days after exposure, and patients with Coronavirus have reported mild to severe respiratory symptoms including cough, fever, and difficulty breathing. If you develop symptoms and you’ve been in close contact with a person known to have Coronavirus or if you’ve recently traveled from China or an area with widespread or ongoing community spread of Coronavirus in the past two weeks, you should discuss this with a practice nurse.

Q: I Have a Cold. Should I Come in and Be Seen?

A: Because the symptoms of Coronavirus mimic those of other viruses, it is difficult to know what you have. Generally, a simple cold doesn’t warrant a visit to a practitioner. But if you have a fever of 100.4 or higher, respiratory symptoms such as a cough or difficulty breathing, have been in close contact with anyone who has the Coronavirus or have recently traveled to a location where the virus is spreading, let the practice know so that a nurse or physician can decide if you should be tested for the Coronavirus. If your symptoms are manageable, the CDC recommends that you stay home to avoid spreading germs to others. And, while you are home, wear a face mask if you are around others, wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, don’t share personal household items, and sanitize frequently touched surfaces daily.

Q: Is There Anything I Can Do to Protect My Children from Getting the Virus?

A: The best prevention to protect children from getting the virus is currently the same as for adults: avoid exposure with sick people, wash hands frequently with soap and water or hand sanitizer, and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth. At this point, children have not proven to be more susceptible to the Coronavirus, but for further updates as they evolve you can check the CDC website for information about children and the Coronavirus.

Q: How Can I Protect Staff from Patients Coming in with Virus-like Symptoms – or Patients Who Are Coming in after Traveling from Affected Areas?

A: Protecting your staff is of paramount importance and there are a few preventive measures you can take to help minimize their risk of infection. The CDC recommends that you:

• Screen patients and visitors for symptoms that mimic the Coronavirus such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing before entering your healthcare facility.
• Inventory your personal protection equipment (PPE) supply, ensure strategies to optimize PPE supplies, and make sure your employees who will be in close contact with suspected or confirmed Coronavirus patients wear appropriate protection.
• Tell employees to stay home when they are sick, especially with respiratory symptoms.

Coronavirus Preparedness: Educate, Don’t Panic

The Coronavirus outbreak has created a commotion, but you can’t afford to panic. You have to calm patient concerns, adhere to rules and maintain a functional practice

No Cost Training: There are specific things you can do to help your practice get through this wave of Coronavirus chaos, if you know how.

This is where infectious disease practitioner, Javeed Siddiqui, MD, and practice management expert consultant and trainer, Owen Dahl, MBA, LFACHE, CHBC, LSSMBB, can help.  In conjunction with Healthcare Training Leader, they are hosting a complimentary online training session to help you better manage your practice through the COVID-19 turbulence.

IMPORTANT: This online training session is being offered at NO COST to you – a $227 value!  It will help you better manage the fear and practical aspects of running your office. By taking advantage of the recorded session, you’ll have the benefit of receiving expert advice from both an infectious disease physician and a nationally recognized practice consultant. You will also have the opportunity to get your specific questions answer by both of these leading experts.

Watch it now.

Because details about the Coronavirus are rapidly evolving, the CDC will update its guidance as new details emerge.

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More Coronavirus Resources to Help You Prepare