Updated Jan 2022

This plan was developed with guidelines from the Provincial Health Officer and our various regulatory bodies. The goal is to continue reducing the risk of exposure to the virus that causes Covid-19 for both patients and the practitioner within our clinical setting.  Here, we identify the actions that we at Cardinal Point Health commit to, in the hope to keep our risks as a community low.

The overall aim of these protocols is to reduce potential coronavirus transmission by:

• Continued mask use within the Clinic for all clients, staff and therapists
• Required ongoing self-assessment for signs of Covid-19 related illness for our staff and therapists
• Reducing all physical, non-treatment related interactions amongst all people within the practice environment
• Hand hygiene requirements
• Avoiding face touching
• Enhanced cleaning protocols
• Appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Meeting professional obligations, particularly related to informed consent

Self-Assessment Tool for Symptoms of Covid-19: For Patients & Therapists

Prior to Arrival

• Each therapist and staff member will use the BC COVID-19 Self-Assessment tool daily and commits to cancelling all appointments if symptoms appear, if they have been exposed to a known case or if they have been asked to self isolate.
• Patients who develop even mild illness or symptoms should cancel booked appointments, and schedule COVID testing.  You will not be charged the late cancellation fee. Similarly appointments should be cancelled if patients are exposed to known cases or if they or members of their household have been asked to self isolate.

Upon Arrival

• There will be a hand sanitizing station at the entrance to the clinic and all patients are asked to please make use of this.
• Per the current PHO guidelines masks are required for all individuals over the age of 5.  If the patient does not have a mask, a single-use mask will be provided upon request.

Physical Distancing

Reception Area / Entry into Clinic Space

• Our Reception area is now open, however to allow appropriate 6′ distancing some clients may need to wait outside until there is room to enter.
• Patients are asked to arrive as close to their appointment time as possible to minimize the number of people waiting in our Reception space.

Within the Treatment Room

• It is not possible to maintain physical distancing while in the treatment room.
• The fabric chairs have been removed from the therapist rooms, and have been replaced by vinyl-covered chairs.
• All sheets and blankets are laundered after every patient.

Restroom for Patient Use

• The restroom has been equipped with paper towels and proper hand washing guidelines.
• Soap and fresh paper towels for drying will be available at all times.

Hand Hygiene

Reception Area / Entry into Clinic Space

• If hands are visibly soiled, the patient should opt to wash hands at the bathroom sink.
• The therapist will wash hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds between patients, before and after disinfecting spaces, before donning gloves and after taking gloves off, and before donning or doffing other PPE such as facemasks or shields.
• Payment occurs in the reception area. A Point of Sale system with Tap is available for card use. Receipts will be emailed unless specifically requested otherwise. Invoices may also be emailed to the patient and paid online through Jane app. The POS machine will be sanitized between each patient.

In the Treatment Room

• The door and doorknobs will be disinfected between each patient.
• Tissue is available at reception and inside the treatment room that the patient may use as a barrier when opening doors.
• Hand sanitizer is available within the treatment room; patients will be asked to wash or sanitize their hands after the treatment.
• Clean linen will be stored in a sealed plastic bin that will be cleaned and sanitized at the end of every shift.

Avoid Face Touching

• Tissue will be available throughout the clinic: in the reception area, treatment room and washroom in order that patients and the therapist may use tissue to address an itch and/or touch the face for any other reason.

Enhanced Cleaning

• Visibly soiled surfaces will be cleaned followed and disinfected with a Canada Health Approved for use against Covid-19 disinfectant as listed here: https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/disinfectants/covid-19/list.html
• Common areas will be cleaned and disinfected at least twice a day, including the restroom.
• All high touch surfaces will be cleaned and disinfected between patients, regardless of appearances. High touch surfaces include (but are not limited to):
  • Light switches, door knobs, POS machine, electronic devices, table surfaces, chairs, stools, faucets, etc.
  • The treatment table, table levers, face cradle, lotion bottles will be immediately cleaned after each treatment.
  • No hydrotherapy supplies, thermophores, table warmers or covers will be used.
• All linens, including blankets and pillow cases are single use only and will be laundered using high heat and detergent between each use.

Personal Protective Equipment

• The therapist will wear non-latex gloves if/when appropriate or if requested by the patient.
  • Gloves may be appropriate when over-use of cleaning and/or chemicals causes skin irritation, or when the therapist’s hands or skin of the hands are otherwise injured.
  • Hands will be washed prior to putting the gloves on and immediately after removing them.
  • Paper or fabric facemasks and/or glasses will be worn by the therapist as appropriate.

Informed Consent

In the current environment of Covid-19 risk, informed consent requires that the patient be informed and understands that:

• Any in-person treatment involves some risk of Covid-19 transmission.
• The therapist is following protocol to help reduce or mitigate risk where possible, but that risk cannot be reduced to zero.
• The patient consents to the treatment despite some risk.
• And the practitioner will document the patient’s consent in advance and at every treatment.

Thank you for your participation in our efforts, we are grateful that as a community we have been able to move into the various phases of reopening and look forward to Clinic life returning to as normal as possible.