What older people should know before proceeding with the optional procedure

Medical expert Patricia Maryweather-Argez has been asking questions about the coronavirus pandemic for several months from members of a Rotary club in the Midwest.

Recently people are wondering. “Is it safe to go to my doctor? Do I need to continue to see my dentist? What about my knee replacement that I had on hold? Would you like to continue?”

These are urgent concerns as hospitals, outpatient clinics, and doctors’ services have begun to offer selective medical care (services that have been suspended for several months).

Late last month, KFF reported that 48% of adults skipped or postponed medical care because of a pandemic. Doctors are deeply concerned Especially about the consequences for people with serious illnesses and chronic medical conditions.

Relation: Moody’s: Patient numbers recovered slightly in May, but providers face a long road to recovery

To feel comfortable, the patient should carefully consider the precautions the provider is taking. This is especially true for older people, who are particularly vulnerable to COVID-19. Here are suggestions that will help people consider their concerns and decide whether to seek selective care.

Before entering Give yourself at least a week to learn about your provider’s readiness. “You want to know ahead of time what you can expect from you and what you can expect from your provider,” said Lisa McGiffert, co-founder of the Patient Safety Behavior Network.

Project Patient Care, an organization of Merryweather-Arges, guide Recommended questions. Above all: Can I be screened for COVID-19 on arrival? Do I need to wear a mask and gloves? Are there any restrictions on what I can bring (laptops, books, clothes)? Will the areas I visit be cleaned and sanitized between patients?

Also ask if a patient known to be COVID-19 will be treated in the same area you use. Do medical staff who interact with you also see these patients?

If I am being treated in a hospital, will I have a COVID-19 test before surgery? Has the staff been tested? If so, what is the situation?

Hospitals, medical clinics, and doctors provide this type of information to varying degrees. In the metropolitan area of ​​New York City, Mount Sinai Health System “Safety hub” On its website featuring a wealth of information and videos.

Mount Sinai also encourages physicians to deliver tailored messages to patients. “We want to hear from the providers,” said Karen Wish, chief marketing officer for the system.

Dr. Allen Kacharia, MD, Senior Vice President of Patient Safety and Quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine, does not hesitate to ask for details. “People have problems when they are afraid to bring their concerns to the fore.”

Relation: According to an analysis by Harvard University, outpatient visits in May and June are:

I care. Since mid-March, counselor Wendy Hayumgros (57), who lives in Naperville, Illinois, has been waiting for doctors to take blood tests to help diagnose goiter, the root cause of the new condition. A few weeks ago she decided it was time.

Research and operation of a hospital she conducted Edward Elmhurst Health, Told Hayum Gross to wear a mask and gave her her phone number when she arrived at the parking lot. Outside the door, she met a staff member who took a temperature, asked some screening questions, and gave a hand sanitizer.

“When I passed through it, a phlebotomist met me on the other side of the door and took me to a chair that was still wet with disinfectant. She wore a mask and gloves and nobody else was there. I did,” said Hayum Gross. “The precautions they took and the almost military precision they were implementing made me feel much better.”

Marjorie Helsel DeWert, 67, Athens, Ohio, was similarly impressed by a recent visit to a dentist, where he found a circular yellow sign 6 feet away on his office floor where people should stand. Was shown. Staff arranged for the pens used to fill out the forms to be placed in individual containers and disinfected after use.

Learning scientist DeWert created a patient safety checklist and distributed it to family and friends. In her question: Can the required form be completed online before the medical visit? Can I wait outside the car until I get called? What personal protective equipment does the staff use? And are the staff checked for symptoms daily?

Relation: Health System Professionals: Don’t Expect Return To Pre-Vaccination Pre-COVID-19 Business

Bring a caregiver. Some medical centers allow caregivers to accompany patients. Others are not. Be sure to check what kind of policy is set.

Ilene Corina, President of Pulse Patient Safety Education and Advocacy Center, said: For example, if you want to be there because of relatives who are weak or have poor cognitive function.

Be prepared to wear a gown, gloves and mask. “You are not there for you. You are there to support the medical team and patients,” said Corina, whose organization provides caregiver training.

In Orlando Park, Devil, Illinois, an interior designer, her sister lives with her 101-year-old mother. Eight years ago, when a tumor was removed from her mother’s colon, Ross and her sister wiped all electrical sockets, cords, surfaces, and door handles in her mother’s room.

“Unless moms absolutely need it [medical] Care, we’re not going to take her anywhere,” Ross said. “But if she has to meet someone, I’ll clean the place from top to bottom. I don’t care what anyone said.”

According to Maryweather Arges, if you are not allowed access to a medical facility, get the phone number of the doctor who will take care of your loved one and make sure you also know the phone number of that person. If you have any problems, please contact us right away.

afterwards. Patients leaving the hospital are afraid that they may have recently become infected with COVID-19. Ask your doctor or nurse about the equipment you need to monitor yourself. Do you need a pulse oximeter and thermometer? If someone can help with the transition, do I need a mask and gloves at home? Can someone provide the equipment?

“Patient caregivers need clear instructions,” says Martin Hatlie, CEO of Project Patient Care. “

If home care is ordered, ask the agency if you have trained staff to recognize the symptoms of COVID-19. Also, did the home care workers have been tested for COVID-19 or had any symptoms?

If follow-up care is provided via telehealth, make sure your setup works before your loved one returns home. Ask your doctor’s office what type of equipment you need, what services you use (zoom? Skype?), and if you can arrange a test in advance.

Finally, when resuming activities, it helps protect yourself as well as others from COVID-19. When he goes back to the world, Johns Hopkins’ Casharia said, “Wear a mask and wash your hands at a social distance.” “And if you have any illness or symptoms, be sure to inform your doctor’s office before seeing you.”

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a non-profit news service that covers health issues. This is a KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) editorial-independent program that is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.