Public health crises like the recent H1N1 ("swine") flu outbreak can have significant implications for your practice, affecting both your patients and your staff. With a plan for handling the situation, however, you can minimize the disruption to your practice and determine the appropriate response to particular developments.
Expert Advice
With an outbreak like influenza, misinformation can spread almost as quickly as the infection itself. The best place to get updates and recommendations is the CDC Web site, which includes a section devoted to the H1N1 flu:
www.cdc.gov/swineflu. The site is updated regularly with new information on the severity and location of outbreaks and includes a number of guidance documents for professionals.
The AMA also has a guidance section for physicians, with a variety of resources on the flu itself, caring for patients and handling national disasters.
The Flu and Your Staff
One of the biggest direct implications for practices may be the impact on staffing, especially if schools in your area are closed. Here are some recommendations:
- Put together a policy outlining how your office would handle monitoring the situation and how compensation would be handled in the case of office closures. View sample plan (DOC 50K), courtesy of Gordon Barlow, RPh, practice administrator for Augusta Eye Associates in Fishersville, Va.
- Once the plan is in place, be sure to communicate it to staff. This includes both telling them it exists and providing easy access to it for reference. Having a clear plan will ease the minds of the employees and curb any uncomfortable situations with compensation in the event of an office closure.
Need help developing a plan? Consult the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Web site: Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic. Topics include:
For additional advice on this and similar situations, see the
EyeNet article "
Facing the Next Disaster" (member login required). Disaster-plan advice covers:
- Communication
- Resources and assets
- Safety and security
- Staff responsibilities
- Utilities management
- Patient Support
The Flu and Your Patients
Though patients do not come to you for treatment of colds and the flu, that doesn't mean they're free of such infections. Here's how you can contain the spread of infections that may walk through your door:
- Post signs at the check-in desk that advise patients to notify the receptionist if they have flu-like symptoms.
- Be sure to have tissues and hand-sanitizer gel in key locations throughout the office. Note: Save on sanitizer when you order it through SimplifEye, the Academy member benefit that helps you cut the cost of health care supplies.
- When confirming appointments, ask patients if they are experiencing flu-like symptoms. If so, patients should cancel their appointment.
- If your practice charges a fee for last-minute cancellations, consider waiving the fee for flu-related cancellations.
Learn more about handling possibly infected patients on the CDC Web site.
Member Suggestions
"We survived an outbreak of Adenovirus a few years ago with none of our staff or patients getting infection. We made a point of disinfecting each exam room with Chlorox wipes and/or a weak bleach solution on every countertop, chair and slit lamp. Any suspected cases of conjunctivitis, we closed that exam room until another thorough cleaning/disinfection was performed. We notified our referring doctors of the epidemic, which began in the eastern part of our state and had a major impact on some other eye clinics just south of us. We asked the primary care doctors who refer to us and the ERs to not send routine conjunctivitis cases for two weeks unless they were not self-limited. We were able to remain in business as opposed to at least one clinic that had to shut down for a brief period."
Face a similar situation in your practice? Share tips and best practices.
