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E
ffectively screening patients
for COVID-19 is part of pre-
op protocols as outpatient
facilities across the country slowly
begin performing elective procedures
again. However, the available infor-
mation about this virus and its symp-
toms changes so frequently that it's
tough to stay on top of what you
should be checking patients for
before they enter your facility. That's
why we developed an easy-to-update
COVID-19 screening tool that doesn't
need to be overhauled whenever our
screening protocols change. The tool,
created in a Word document,
includes the most current and critical information about the coron-
avirus from the CDC, WHO and our state's department of health (out-
patientsurgery.net/forms). It also includes straightforward questions
that leave no room for interpretation. For instance, we ask all
patients, "Have you, or anyone else who has lived in your house with-
in the past 2 weeks, been exposed to someone diagnosed with
COVID-19 or have you had any of the following symptoms …" We
then ask about 11 different symptoms associated with the virus such
as fever of 100.4 degrees or higher, sore throat and new loss of taste
or smell. The greatest benefit of this tool is its ease of use. When the
CDC recently added new symptoms, it was easy for us to type them
into the document. Even though not all COVID-19 positive patients
PRE-OP PRECAUTION
A Handy Coronavirus Screening Tool
TEMPERATURE CHECK Front desk representative
Jessica takes a patient's temperature in accordance with
Red Lion Surgicenter's new COVID-19 screening tool.
Red
Lion
Surgicenter
Ideas Work
That