8 Steps for Getting Ready to See Patients Again

Like many physicians in private practice, Kutner is concerned about revenue. She hopes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) makes its temporary waivers permanent.

What You Need to Consider When Planning to Reopen Your Office

Physicians say their post-COVID-19 practices will look very different from their pre-pandemic practices. Many plan to maintain guidelines, such as those from the AAFP, long after the pandemic has peaked.

If you are starting to think about reopening, here are some major considerations.

1. Develop procedures and practices that will keep your patients and staff safe.

“When we return, the first thing we need to do is limit the number of patients in the waiting room,” said Clinton Coleman, MD, who practices internal medicine and nephrology in Teaneck, New Jersey. “No one is comfortable in a waiting room any longer,” said Coleman, who is chief of internal medicine at Holy Name Medical Center in Teaneck.

Careful planning is required to resume in-person care of patients requiring non-COVID-19 care, as well as all aspects of care, according to CMS. Adequate staff, testing, supplies, and support services, such as pathology services, are just a few considerations. CMS recommends that physicians “evaluate the necessity of the care based on clinical needs. Providers should prioritize surgical/procedural care and high-complexity chronic disease management; however, select preventive services may also be highly necessary.”

The American Medical Association recently unveiled a checklist for reopening. One key recommendation was for practices to select a date for reopening the office, ideally preceded by a “soft” or incremental reopening to ensure that new procedures are working. The AMA also recommends opening incrementally, continuing telehealth while also inviting patients back into the office.

2. Figure out how to safely see patients, particularly in your waiting areas and common spaces.

Logistic factors, such as managing patient flow, will change. Waiting rooms will be emptier; in some locations, patients may be asked to wait in their cars until an exam room is available.

The AMA also suggests limiting nonpatient visitors by posting the practice’s policy at the entrance and on the practice’s website. If service calls for repairs are needed, have those visitors come outside of normal operating hours.