At IBJI, safety is our top priority. Staff are committed and working together to keep our patients and each other safe. During COVID-19, our staff has stepped up by helping to screen patients and take temperatures before they come into the office. These safety precautions help to protect our patients by reducing the risk of spreading COVID-19 to other patients and staff members.
Our screening questions are conducted over the phone when a patient is scheduling an in-office appointment. While on the phone, IBJI staff ask patients several questions regarding COVID-19, symptoms, and if they have recently traveled. Patients will also have their temperatures taken onsite the day of their appointment before they can enter the office. These steps are important in making sure that we help flatten the curve and keep our patients safe.
Four of our staff members, across different locations, explain the steps they took to help during COVID-19 and why it's important for IBJI to provide these safety processes to patients.
Cassi Huser, PT, DPT at IBJI Lake Bluff helped take temperatures. “I take the temperatures of my patients before bringing them back to the gym to receive treatment. If patients tell me they are feeling ill, I offer a Telehealth visit and screen the patient to see when it is safe for them to return to the clinic for an in person visit. It is essential to have temperature stations and safety screenings to ensure the safety of our patients and staff which ultimately work with thousands of patients per week. Those thousands of patients then interact with others, so IBJI is having a direct impact on flattening the curve of COVID-19 and keeping our communities safe. All therapists took mandatory training on the PATH on COVID-19 which helped us stay safe and educate others on safety.”
Cassi informs her patients that before entering the gym to receive treatment, they will be temperature screened with a contactless thermometer to ensure their safety and others in the facility. She says that, “Each patient has been very open and appreciative of this.”
Cassi also assisted fellow staff with patient safety screenings. “I kept the staff informed of how to screen patients over the phone and assisted with the problem solving to determine if a Telehealth visit was needed versus coming into the gym due to potential exposures.”
At our Morton Grove location, Megan Lundgren, ATC, Medical Assistant, participated in temperature checks and occasionally assisted at the office in Buffalo Grove.
Megan said, “I was assigned to take temperatures, most of the Medical Assistants and Certified Athletic Trainers are assigned to take temperatures when they are not assisting a physician in the clinic. It’s important we offer a temperature station because it gives the patients comfort and assurance that they reduce their risk of coming into contact with someone else who could be COVID-19 positive. It is important that IBJI can offer a service that makes patients feel safer as everyone adjusts to the new normal.”
Megan explains our temperature taking process, “When a patient arrives outside the office doors they can expect to be greeted by a staff member who has a station set up with a thermometer, hand sanitizer, and person protection equipment (PPE). Temperatures will be read with an infrared device that is non-contact. Patients under 100.4 degrees will be allowed to enter the office and be given an IBJI sticker to alert everyone that they have a normal temperature. We also make sure that every adult and child has a face mask and if they don't, they will be provided with one.”
At our Chicago office, Monique Evans, Orthopedic Technician, assisted in ensuring that all patients had their temperature taken before entering the clinic area. “I ensure that all exam rooms have been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before and after being occupied by patients and wiping down door handles and chairs,” says Monique.
Monique continues, “The importance of offering temperature checks is to assist in reducing the risk and or spreading of COVID-19. It ensures that patients and staff are in a generally healthy state when entering our offices/clinics. As patients are checked in and about to enter the clinic area, I call them and explain that I have to take their temperature and the temperature of any additional person that will be accompanying them in the clinic.”
Lastly, Millie Manarang, CCMA, Patient Services Manager, role at IBJI’s Gurnee front desk is to assure all our patients and non-patients of their safety and health.
Millie explains how our safety precautions function at Gurnee, “Our temperature check and safety screening station is set-up at the front desk, with one temperature check personnel scheduled each day. Safety and cleanliness is our priority, so we have newly installed plexi-glass at the front desk counters, two mounted thermometers on both sides, one hand-held thermometer for our immobile patients. Antibacterial cleaning products are at the temperature check station as well. All staff are mandatory to wear face masks, goggles, and gloves. Hand sanitizer can be found at every corner in our office, posters and social distancing reminders are posted as well.”
In addition to safety screening and temperature checks, IBJI has installed plexiglass on our front desks and social distancing signs and decals throughout our offices. The plexiglass helps to keep our patients and front desk staff safe and our signs and decals indicate to patients where to safely stand and sit while visiting our offices. We have also implemented continuous cleaning of our clinic throughout the day.
IBJI is proud of the teamwork and commitment that our staff has taken to ensure patient safety. The implementation of safety procedures has been a necessary step to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and to help our patients feel safe and comfortable.
