What the citizens knew until today regarding the way they are served by public doctors in outpatient clinics, is changing.
All patients, without exception, as well as hospital staff, must now follow specific rules and at the same time strictly observe the protection and hygiene measures both when entering and leaving hospitals.
No more crowding. Only patients and their attendants will be allowed to enter the waiting rooms (unless required by the patient's condition). In addition, strict adherence to appointments will be required and patients should arrive at the hospital only half an hour before the scheduled one.
The plan of the State Health Services Organization for the restart of the hospitals has been in the hands of the workers' unions for a few days now and started to be implemented from today.
"The aim of the gradual restart and operation of the Outpatient Clinics of the Hospitals is to serve the patients in a safe environment, both for themselves and for the employees of the Hospital, ensuring the avoidance of its dispersion. COVID-19 from undiagnosed patients, to staff (medical, nursing, etc.), as well as COVID-19 among the patients who gather for examinations ", OKYPY states in the introduction of its note.
This goal will be achieved "by taking precautionary measures, both staff and patients. Furthermore, it will be sought to avoid prolonged doctor-patient contact, but also to avoid close contact between patients due to the long duration of their stay in the waiting rooms.
In addition, the premises will be frequently disinfected and the frequent use of antiseptic solutions will be required by all.
The plan of OKYPY is divided into two parts. The first part concerns the first week of reopening of outpatient clinics. In order to serve the patients, in the first week an effort will be made to serve the citizens through telephone communication by their doctor. If the citizens only need to renew their prescriptions, the doctor will be able to process the procedure electronically through the software of GESS.
However, in case it is deemed that the clinical examination of the patient is necessary, then "this will be done, as far as possible, by appointment, in order to avoid increased simultaneous attendance of beneficiaries in the Hospitals". The days and hours of examination, the operating time but also the daily number of appointments per doctor and the examination time per patient, "will be determined by the director of each Clinic / Department, who will be responsible for informing the Office about the appointments". As OKYPY suggests, "where the conditions allow it, at the discretion of the director of the Clinic / Department and in collaboration with the doctors of each specialty, the doctors will be able to work as teams with different hours during the day" .
After the first week and after the necessary preparation and evaluation of the plan that has been prepared, the data will change and patients will be able to come more easily to outpatient clinics, provided of course that they will faithfully follow the Rules that will apply to all public hospitals.
Arrival after telephone information
The State Health Services Organization announces the following:
The opening of the Outpatient Clinics of Specialties for non-emergencies in the Public Hospitals, starts today.
For the safety of both the patients and the staff working in the Public Hospitals, for examination in the Outpatient Clinics, only the patients who have received telephone information from the respective Hospitals Clinics will come.
For all appointments canceled during the pandemic, rescheduling has begun and affected patients will be notified.
Rules from entry to exit
In each hospital, a specific admission of patients to the Outpatient Clinics should be determined:
- At each entrance and in all public areas there will be an alcoholic antiseptic.
- There will be a check for whether the patient has an appointment.
- Accompanying persons will not be allowed, unless required by the patient's condition.
- The patient will be thermometed and in case of fever or cough or other symptoms of respiratory infection, he will be referred immediately to the Screening Clinic (Short Hospital) for examination.
- The patient will be allowed to enter with a mandatory use of a mask, half an hour before his scheduled appointment to avoid overcrowding.
- If the patient, during the examination, is considered a suspicious case, all relevant precautionary measures will be followed. The medical and nursing staff will be removed and the relevant protocols will be applied.
- The patient must remain in the room with the door closed. Items and rubbish must also remain in the room.
- The Sorting Clinic (Short Hospitalization) will be informed about the patient's receipt.
- There will be cleaning of waste and disinfection of the surfaces of the area according to the relevant protocols.
- The attendees at the doctor's office, who had any direct contact with the patient, will be informed.
Registration process
- The registration of patients will be done in specific places that will be determined by the Management of the Hospital, depending on the daily number of appointments and all protection measures must be strictly observed (mandatory use of mask and gloves by the staff and use of mask by patients, protective glass in front of the registration office, distance of at least two meters between patients, use of antiseptic, etc.).
- If the appointments will be pre-arranged, make an effort so that the patients' medical records can be found from the previous day.
- Waiting areas for patients should be "well ventilated and there should be at least two meters distance between patients, but also easy access to an alcoholic antiseptic".
PROPOSAL FOR REGISTRATION WITHOUT PAYMENT OF SUPPLEMENT
In the planning sent to the guilds by OKYPY, it makes a specific proposal which concerns the service of patients with as little physical contact as possible with the hospital staff.
Specifically and in accordance with the proposal:
- For prescriptions of medicinal products that are in the list of GESS and do not need examination by a doctor, after consultation between doctor and patient, the prescription is submitted to the computer system of OAY, without the requirement of registration and completion.
- For all patients who are on the daily appointment list, the registration should be done without the physical presence of the patients according to the list and without the need for completion.
This proposal of the organization seems to be accepted by the unions.
Source: philenews