SAC Patient Receiving - COVID-19

Purpose/ Applicability: The purpose of this SOP is to describe the procedure for receiving small animal patients into the Small Animal Clinic (SAC) during the COVID-19 pandemic while the hospital is engaged in curb-side service.

Scope: Clients are not allowed into SAC for patient receiving. Check in processes for patients must occur and include verification of client name, address, phone number, pet’s name, and RDVM contact. Signed client consent must also be obtained. Secure transfer of patients from owners to VTH personnel must occur in a safe and efficient manner while also providing for the safety of VTH personnel and owner. Social distancing and wearing of masks over face and nose will be required.

Definitions:

• Sanitized – Free of debris or contamination from potential pathogens.
• High Risk for COVID-19 – A person having clinical signs associated with corona virus infection including fever, cough, or respiratory distress; a person who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 14 days; or a person who has close direct contact with another person having signs or positive test.

Equipment:
• Tent Canopy; Blue – SAC main entrance, Orange – SAC east side entrance
• Receiving tables – 1 at each location
• Hand sanitizer
• Receptacle for sanitized pens, receptacle for used pens requiring sanitizing
• Rescue- Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide in spray bottle 
• Paper towels
• Waste receptacle
• VTH slip leashes
• Social distancing signs
• Face masks for clients

Procedure:

1. Client arrives and parks in client parking space with instructions to call.
2. Client Services answers call and asks client pre-screening questions.
   a. If the client does not present a high risk for COVID-19 exposure, proceed.
   b. If the client answers that they or someone they have been in close contact with has COVID-19 infection, do not proceed. Follow the steps outlined in VTH Policy #Pthand910: COVID-19 Exposed Patient Handling.
3. Client Services confirms client’s name, address, phone number, email address, pet’s name, and updates the HIS with any applicable changes. 
4. Client Services confirms reason for visit and the service receiving pet, and client’s phone number being used for the purposes of the current visit.
5. The owner is asked to wait in their car until contacted by the service member receiving their pet. Owner is also advised that they are required to wear a mask when interacting with VTH personnel and determines if the owner will need one provided.
6. Client Services prints out the admission consent form, highlights the client’s phone number on the check-in sheet and contacts the receiving service.
7. The receiving service member retrieves the record from Client Services, and mask if the client needs one.
8. The receiving service member or Client Services calls the client to instruct them to report to either the blue or orange tent.
9. The client brings their pet to the assigned check-in tent. 
   a. The client is responsible for securely restraining their pet on a leash or in a carrier.
   b. Only one client can be served at a time at each check-in tent. Signs instructing clients to maintain social distancing will be in place.
   c. Clients not wearing a face covering will be asked to put one on and will be provided a disposable mask if needed.
10. The client will sign the admission consent form, or give verbal consent which is witnessed and signed by the service member. 
    a. Sanitized pens will be available at the check-in tent, and should be placed in the receptacle for used pens once the owner has signed.
11. The owner will transfer control of the patient over to the service member.
    a. A slip lead will be placed on dogs.
    b. Cats and other small animals may be kept in the carrier.
    c. Owner leashes and carriers should be returned to the owner if the patient is hospitalized.
12. The owner will be advised that visit communications will occur by telephone and that they should return to their vehicle.
    a. Clients that will be waiting for a significant amount of time should be directed to park in the Basic Science Building lot F-27 at the bagged meters along the north aisle.
    b. Clients may be provided information about local attractions including the Japan House and Idea Garden across Lincoln Ave.
13. Service personnel are responsible for calling clients to provide patient information, give and receive approval for estimates and treatment plans, provide updates, and to arrange for patient pick-up.
14. Service personnel should confirm that all charges have been entered into the HIS and notify Client Services to call the client to collect payment.
15. When discharging a patient, service personnel should call the client and arrange for a time for the owner to pick up their pet.
    a. The owner should be directed to either the blue or orange tent, or may indicate which parking space they are parked in for the patient to be brought to them.
    b. Service personnel should securely transfer control of the pet to the owner.
16. Client Services should be notified to close out the visit.

Sanitation:

1. The table and contact surfaces of the check-in tents will be clean at least 3 times daily.
   a. Spray Rescue 6-8 inches from the surface.
   b. Allow surface to remain wet for 1 minute.
   c. Wipe surface dry or allow to air dry.
2. Used pens placed in the designated receptacle will be cleaned in the manner described above prior to re-use.

Exceptions and Clarifications:

In the event that the patient is non-ambulatory and needs to be brought into the SAC on a gurney, service personnel may take the gurney to retrieve the patient from the owner’s vehicle. Service personnel should not enter the vehicle if at all possible. 

In the event that the patient is from a COVID + household, follow the procedure outlined in VTH Policy #pthand910: COVID-19 Exposed Patient Handling.