Our Commitment to Health & Safety
As always, our practice takes every precaution to keep patients and staff safe and healthy. While we have always adhered to and exceeded the standards for decontamination set by OSHA, we are going one step further and incorporating the latest CDC guidelines.
The Measures We Are Taking To Protect Our Patients
We ask you to keep the following in mind prior to and during your appointment:
- Every surface is sterilized after every patient, even when procedures were not performed. Single-use instruments are not used more than once. All reusable instruments are sterilized via the use of steam machines to ensure that all microorganisms that could be on instruments are killed. We use an indicator test that ensures that autoclaves are functioning during every cycle. We process “dirty” instruments in a specific place in our office to ensure that no clean instruments are ever contaminated.
- Patients are filling out any necessary paperwork in their cars. All clipboards and pens are disinfected with hospital-grade disinfectants between every patient.
- When the patient arrives for treatment, only one escort per patient is permitted. The escort is instructed to wait in the vehicle. We will contact them when treatment has concluded, and our staff will bring the patient to them.
- At this time we are only treating patients with emergencies/urgencies per Governor Inslee’s mandate to halt all elective procedures. We are spacing emergency appointments to minimize the number of people in the office at one time.
- We will screen patients when the appointment is made and again on the day of treatment.
- We have hand washing stations in all consult and treatment rooms and hand sanitizer at every desk in the office.
- We plan to purchase US-made supplies when possible.
How We Are Protecting the Safety of Our Staff & Doctors
We are taking additional steps toward ensuring the safety of our staff.
- All doctors and assistants wash their hands for at least 20 seconds before and after donning gloves. All doctors and assistants wear masks and eye protection during procedures and do not touch unclean surfaces.
- All of our employees are currently wearing masks at all times during the workday.
- No unclean surfaces are touched with gloves during procedures.
- Gloves, masks and gowns are never reused between patients.
- All surfaces are cleaned after every patient and between all patients with hospital grade disinfectants.
- All staff are screened each day prior to coming to work according to the CDC guidelines regarding any fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, muscles aches, or any other feelings of being sick.
- We are minimizing the number of employees in the office by having only who is necessary to treat patients. We ensure that employees maintain at least a 6 ft from each other at all times unless it is necessary to work closer together to provide care.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO PATIENTS: If you or someone in your household have a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms, please stay at home and don’t come to the practice. Your doctor may request an online video consultation if you are displaying symptoms.
At Columbia Basin Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons, we appreciate the ongoing support from our patients, referring providers, families, and friends. Thank you for your patience and cooperation while these measures are put into effect.
For questions or clarification about these measures, please contact us at (702) 783-7600.
