CLEVELAND — Major hospital systems in Northeast Ohio are strongly recommending patients wear a mask before showing up for their doctor's appointments and those visits postponed by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Adrienne Boissy, Cleveland Clinic Chief Experience Officer, told News 5 patients not wearing a mask will be given a mask and asked to put it on.
"We’re asking proactively, we’re messaging before you show up that these are the expectations and we ask for your partnership in that,” Boissy said
"Everyone entering our facilities will get a temperature check, you’ll be asked to wear a cloth mask.”
“We hope to protect our caregivers as much as we hope to protect our patients.”
“We’re trying to create a almost completely touch-less, but still high touch check-in process.”
“So when people are coming in for visits or procedures, we’re minimizing the amount of contact there needs to be human to human.”
Cleveland Clinic said it began strongly commending masks for all patient appointments on April 7.
MetroHealth System said it began its mask strong recommendation on April 20.
Lake Health told News 5 it recommended mask for patients on April 27 and will make masks mandatory for patients on May 18.
Dr. Claudia Hoyen, Co-Director of Infection Control for University Hospital System, told News 5 patients showing up for appointments will discover much tighter safety protocols.
“Once you get to the doctor’s office you’re going to see things that are different,” Hoyen said.
“We really have to take extra precautions because we’re not all staying home now.”
“We have masks, so if you don’t have one, that’s not a reason to not come to your appointment.”
“Some patients, if it’s appropriate for them to be seen by a virtual visit, we’re staggering them between patients, so our waiting rooms aren’t as full."
“However, If things we’re to get busy, we may ask you to wait in your car for a few minutes before we have you come in.”
Meanwhile, Boissy said patient visitor restrictions will continue, but some visitors can be allowed with a doctor's approval and an effort is being made to make some compassionate exceptions for in-patient procedures.
