Pandemic Response and Patient Visit Protocol

Note to parents: If there are concerns regarding the immediate safety of you or your child please contact 911 or proceed to the appropriate emergency medical care facility immediately if safe to do so.

With the advent of COVID-19 our focus at APCC is the safe delivery of high quality care to our patients.
Our approach is to ensure the highest standard-of-care for infection prevention and control. This includes incorporating and exceeding the requirements of the CPSA, AHS, ACH and Health Canada based on extensive and continuous review of emerging data.

The following is for in-person visits only. We continue to also provide telephone/virtual appointments.

We have set rigorous requirements to ensure your safety, hence the comprehensive protocol for in-person appointments. The following applies to staff, patients and attendants. Please thoroughly review the following information in its entirety to assist in determining your fitness to attend the clinic.

There are 3 sections. Key elements have red headings.

SECTION 1: IN-OFFICE APPOINTMENT POLICY

All patients, attendants and staff must:
  • Adhere to clinic policy of one attendant only with each patient. (other caregivers can be teleconferenced in). This includes siblings or other children.
  • Complete hand hygiene upon entering the clinic with hand sanitizer or soap and water handwashing
  • Remain in assigned spaces only
  • Maintain physical distance of at least 2m from other patients/families
  • Answer all screening history questions below fully and truthfully for themselves and accompanying individuals.
Out of respect for other patients and staff, patient and attendant masking is strongly and warmly encouraged at all times whilst at APCC

  • This applies to those over 2 years of age

  • Please don masks prior to entry

  • Please follow the Acceptable Mask Criteria
  • Please wear your mask continuously unless instructed to remove it by a practitioner and until you vacate the building. This includes when alone in rooms or spaces, even if the staff member or physician is not present
If the patient or attendant is unable or unwilling to wear a mask, please contact our front desk at least 1 full working day prior to the appointment.
Acceptable Mask Criteria

Acceptable masks:

  • Must be large enough to completely and comfortably cover the nose, mouth and chin without gaping
  • Fit securely to the head and face
  • Cloth masks:
    • Minimum 3 layer masks with a minimum of 2 layers of tightly woven fabric such as cotton or linen
  • Medical procedure or surgical masks
  • KN95, KF94, N95-N100, R95-100, P95-100 (or equivalent) mask/respirator WITHOUT exhalation valves or vents.

Unacceptable masks/alternatives (this is not a comprehensive list):

  • Masks/respirators with vents or exhalation valves
    • Masks with vents or exhalation valves allow unfiltered exhaled air to escape.
  • Bandanas, Neck gaiters/neck tubes
    • Research shows these are inadequate to prevent pathogen spread
  • “Mouth shields” or similar
  • Any material, design or usage which does not adequately impede and trap exhaled micro and macro particles

SECTION 2: SCREENING CRITERIA

Please complete the following mandatory assesement within 12 hours of your appointment time.
1) If “YES” to any of the following, please contact the office for additional screening:
  • In the past 21 days have you required hospitalization for infection with COVID-19?
  • Are you currently under treatment with systemic corticosteroids, immunosuppressive or biologic therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy or otherwise been diagnosed with immunosuppression AND have had a COVID-19 infection in the past 28 days?
2) If “NO”, please complete our ONLINE ASSESSMENT

You will be required to present the GREEN notice screen prior to admission into the clinic.

If you get a RED notice:

  • Please contact the APCC front desk immediately in order for our physicians to determine the suitability of an in person appointment.
  • Do not panic, we have multiple options available to ensure patients receive the care they need.
  • Do not present to the clinic in person unless explicitly instructed to do so

If a previously answered “NO” response has now changed to “YES”:

Please contact our front desk immediately before coming to the office.

SECTION 3: ARRIVAL AND CHECK-IN PROCEDURE

Our goal is to minimize and mitigate any points of cross exposure and to limit the time in the building to as short as necessary.
If you are driving:
  • Arrive so that you are parked at least 15 min prior to the start of your scheduled appointment. Budget a longer interval if your child needs more time to transition.
  • From your vehicle, call the APCC front desk at 587-392-3630 OR 403-775-9669
  • Remain in your vehicle until instructed by APCC staff to come to the clinic front door
  • As much as possible we want to reduce the need for you to wait in the waiting room. Utilizing your vehicle as the waiting room replacement is much preferable as it is your own safe space.
If arriving on foot/public transit:

  • When you are 10-15 min away from the clinic, call the APCC front desk at 587-392-3630 or 403-775-9669

  • Time your arrival to the front doors at least 5-10 min prior to your appointment starting – plan for longer if you need more time for your child to be weighed or otherwise transitioned to the examination room

  • Plan so that there is enough time when you arrive to check in, remove jackets etc, have the patient weighed, measured and blood pressure taken (if applicable) prior to the start of your appointment time. This helps eliminate/decrease any time spent in waiting rooms.