Cooperative Living September 2020 - 26

Care in COVID-19
HealthyTake | by Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News
What seniors should know before
going ahead with elective procedures
n late June, Kaiser Family Foundation
reported that 48% of adults had skipped
or postponed medical care because of the
pandemic. Physicians are deeply concerned
about the consequences, especially for
people with serious illnesses or chronic
medical conditions.
To feel comfortable, patients need to
take stock of the precautions providers
are taking. This is especially true for older
adults, who are particularly vulnerable
to COVID-19.
Here are suggestions that can help
people think through concerns and
decide whether to seek elective care:
BEFORE YOU GO IN
Give yourself at least a week to learn
about your medical provider's preparations.
" You want to know in advance what's
expected of you and what you can expect
from your providers, " says Lisa McGiffert,
co-founder of the nonprofit Patient Safety
Action Network.
Project Patient Care, an organization
developed by health care expert Patricia
Merryweather-Arges, has developed a
guide with recommended questions:
" You want to know in advance
what's expected of you and
what you can expect from your
provider. "
- Lisa McGiffert, Patient Safety
Action Network
I
" Where people get in trouble
is when they're afraid to bring
their concerns forward. "
- Dr. Allen Kachalia,
Johns Hopkins Medicine
* Will I be screened for COVID-19
upon arrival?
* Do I need to wear a mask and gloves?
* Are there any restrictions on what
I can bring (a laptop, books, a change
of clothing)?
* Are the areas I'll visit cleaned and
disinfected between patients?
* Will the medical staffers who interact
with you also see these patients?
* If you're getting care in a hospital,
will you be tested for COVID-19
before your procedure?
* Is the staff being tested and, if so,
under what circumstances?
Don't hesitate to press for more
details, says Dr. Allen Kachalia, senior
vice president of patient safety and
quality at Johns Hopkins Medicine:
" Where people get in trouble is when
they're afraid to bring their concerns
forward. "
SEEKING CARE
Wendy Hayum-Gross, a counselor
who lives in Naperville, Ill., had been
waiting since mid-March to get blood
tests. A few weeks ago, she decided
it was time.
The hospital lab she went to told
her to wear a mask and gave her a
number to call when she arrived in
the parking lot.
Outside the front door, she was
met by a staffer who took her
temperature, asked several screening
questions and gave her hand sanitizer.
" Once I passed that, a phlebotomist
met me on the other side of the door
and took me to a chair that was still
wet with disinfectant. She wore a mask
and gloves, and there was no one else
24 | Cooperative Living | September 2020
around, " Hayum-Gross says. " When
I saw the precautions they had put in
place and the almost military precision
with which they were carrying them
out, I felt much better. "
Marjorie Helsel DeWert, of Athens,
Ohio, was similarly impressed when she
visited her dentist recently and noticed
circular yellow signs on the floor of the
office, spaced 6 feet apart, indicating
where people should stand. DeWert,
a learning scientist, came up with a
patient safety checklist and distributed
it to family and friends. Among her
questions: Can necessary forms be
completed online before a medical visit?
Can I wait in the car outside until
called? What kind of personal
protective equipment is the staff using?
And is the staff being checked for
symptoms daily?
BRINGING A CAREGIVER
Some medical centers are allowing
caregivers to accompany patients;
others are not. Be sure to ask what
policies are in place.
If you feel your presence is necessary
- for instance, if you want to be there
for a relative who is frail or cognitively
compromised - be firm but also
respectful, says Ilene Corina, president
of the Pulse Center for Patient Safety
Education & Advocacy.
Be prepared to wear a gown, gloves
and mask. " You're not there for yourself:
You're there to support the health care
team and the patient, " says Corina,
whose organization offers training to
caregivers.
If you are not allowed into a medical
facility, get a phone number for the
physician caring for the loved one and
make sure they have your number as
well, Merryweather-Arges says. Ask
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Cooperative Living September 2020

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