COVID-19 Safety Action Plan
New clinic procedures for patients and clients during the pandemic
A message from our team
As we reopen our doors to provide you with the high-quality healthcare services you have come to expect, you may notice some changes within the clinic. While we at ATP Clinic take pride in building and maintaining a community-like culture within the clinic, we must adjust our policies, processes, and general conduct to safeguard your safety as we navigate through the global COVID-19 pandemic.
A COVID-19 Safety Action Plan has been developed for your and our staff’s safety. This includes specific guidelines for how our employees, clients, and patients should move and behave while in the clinic. We have gone to great efforts to ensure that we are appropriately equipped to give you with safe care, restrict touch points, and eliminate the potential of having too many people in shared spaces in order to maintain distance measures.
We ask that you attend the clinic one (1) minute before to your appointment and avoid entering the space any sooner during this period in order to maintain a safe environment. We also request that you arrive for your appointment alone. We recognise that this may not always be achievable. If you must come in with a spouse or a child, please be aware that the procedures below also apply to them.
Please complete the following self-assessment before arriving for your appointment:
- Do you have any of the following symptoms: fever and/or new onset of cough or difficulty breathing
- Have you been around someone with known COVID-19, OR someone with an acute illness OR someone who has travelled outside of Canada in the past 14 days?
- Do you have two (2) of the following symptoms:
- Chills; fatigue; headache; sore throat; runny nose; stuffy or congested nose; lost sense of taste or smell; hoarse voice; difficulty swallowing ; digestive issues (nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain)
- For young children and infants: sluggishness or lack of appetite
If you answered “YES” to any of the above questions, you will have to postpone your appointment until you are symptom-free, outside of the 14-day self-isolation period, and cleared by a qualified professional.
We appreciate that having some of the symptoms described above does not always mean you have COVID-19. The Ministry of Health Ontario requires us to apply this screen in order to protect our practitioners and the rest of our patients. If you are unwell or believe you have been exposed to the coronavirus, we advise you to seek medical attention call TeleHealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000).
If you are sick, or suspect you have been exposed to the coronavirus, you can still get help from a practitioner by scheduling a virtual appointment.
Before you enter the clinic:
After you’ve thoroughly cleansed your hands, remove your mask and inspect it for any physical damage. Make sure your mask is firmly applied, with no significant gaps between your face and the mask.
- While inside the clinic, you, as well as our practitioners, must wear a mask AT ALL TIMES. This applies to bathroom visits as well.
- You can make a reusable mask out of at least two layers of tightly woven material (i.e.: cotton). The use of homemade masks has been proven to dramatically reduce the spread of the coronavirus by air droplets. Before each visit, make sure your mask has been completely cleaned with soap and water.
- For a modest price, we can sell you a disposable (single-use) mask if you don’t have one (at cost). Single-use masks can be worn indefinitely until they become obviously filthy, moist, or removed from your face. The mask must be discarded after it has been removed. It is important to know that wearing the same disposable mask to many appointments is not permitted, and you will be required to purchase a new one.
Once you have entered the clinic:
- Follow the arrows on the floor and do not stray from them. For everyone’s safety, keep a 6-foot distance from anyone in the clinic.
- Everyone will be required to apply hand sanitizer upon entering the reception area. This will be made available to you. As soon as you enter the clinic.
- Upon entering the reception area, everyone will be required to use hand sanitizer. This will be provided to you. You will find it to your left as soon as you walk through the vestibule door.
- Please find a seat until your practitioner is ready to see you.
- We have spaced out our schedule to avoid any excessive congestion of people in our waiting room. There will be 3 seating areas available in our waiting room, all at least 6 feet apart from each other
- If you come in with a partner or child, have them wait in the car, or in the seat directly adjacent to yours.
- If you require the restroom, please remain seated until one becomes available. When leaving the restroom, please wash your hands thoroughly (at least 20 seconds) and open the door with a paper towel.
Our practitioners will take all necessary precautions to ensure your and their safety, including:
- Before starting any treatment, we will take your temperature and run you through the COVID-19 screening.
- Correctly wearing a mask.
- Between each patient, they will wash their hands or apply hand sanitizer.
- Ensuring that the treatment table, equipment, and all other surfaces touched have been disinfected.
Following your treatment:
- In order to minimise spending time in public places such as the waiting room, your practitioner will schedule your follow-up appointment with you while you are still in the treatment room.
- To prevent touching the terminal, we have a contactless payment terminal installed. Please use hand sanitizer before touching the payment terminal if you need to punch in a pin. Please note that we are unable to accept cash or checks for services delivered at this time. However, we offer Interac, VISA, Mastercard, American Express, and E-Transfer as payment methods.
General notes on the COVID-19 Safety Action Plan
Please practise common sense safety precautions while on the premises, such as:
- Maintain a 6-foot distance between yourself and anyone in your immediate vicinity.
- Keep your mask and face away from each other. If you touch your mask or your face in any way, wash your hands or use hand sanitizer as away.
- Sneeze and cough into your elbow. If you sneeze into your hand, wash your hands promptly or use hand sanitizer.
- If you must use a tissue, throw it away right away and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.