Polaris Eye Care Reopening - Office Safety Protocols
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To our valued current and prospective patients:
We appreciate your patience and understanding these past few months since we’ve had to close our office due to the COVID pandemic.
We are truly excited to be reopening our clinic for routine eye care services soon - please stay tuned for our opening date! Please note that when we open, we will have new procedures and protocols in place to promote the safety of our staff, our patients, and our community. Currently we have a backlog of months worth of patients and will have to appropriately triage these cases. Please understand that there may be some delays; however we will schedule your appointments as soon as we are able to.
We will be meeting all relevant optometry-specific care standards as outlined by our regulatory body, as well as our Ministry of Health operational requirements. This includes the sanitation of all used equipment and touch points such as tabletops, sinks, exam chairs and doorknobs after each patient. Please note that despite these precautions, there is still a risk of COVID spread that cannot be completely mitigated.
In order to reduce the risk, we have implemented the following measures:
Patients will be pre-screened by telephone and/or by email before their appointments for symptoms of COVID-19, travel history and contact with ill people.
All staff will be similarly screened and anyone unwell will not be working in the office.
All patient intake forms must be filled out prior to your appointment. You will be given access to this ahead of time.
Please understand your insurance coverage (if applicable).
When you arrive for your appointment, please stay in your vehicle or outside our door. Inform us by phone that you have arrived and we will open the doors when it is appropriate to do so.
Leave all personal belongings in the car (ex. coats, bags, etc.)
Only patients with appointments will be permitted into the office (very young children and patients with special needs may be accompanied by 1 adult who will need to be screened as well). To facilitate communication, we suggest that patients bring a mobile telephone to their appointment so that treatment information can easily be relayed to parents.
You must arrive wearing a face mask.
You will be asked to sanitize your hands or wash with soap for 20 seconds as soon as you arrive. This is mandatory.
If possible, please use your personal washroom facility prior to coming into the office to avoid further unneeded exposure.
No food or drink will be allowed in the office.
We ask that you do not speak during your appointment unless asked, to limit airborne transmission.
We encourage that any applicable payment be settled by contactless credit or debit cards
We are doing what we can to make the environment safe for you. Please note that we may not be able to accommodate sensitivities and allergies (i.e. disinfectant wipes, bleach) as our priority is following recommended infection control.
Appointments will be scheduled farther apart to promote social distancing. We will be seeing fewer patients per day there will be more limited after school hours. These are difficult times for most of us struggling to find a new normal and keep our businesses viable. Therefore, we do expect that you show up on time for your appointment or give us 48 hours notice. Failure to do this, except in specific situations, will result in a no-show fee of $50.
We really appreciate your understanding and cooperation in reducing the risk of exposure to our patients and staff. Please get in touch with us if your contact information (including email address, cell phone) has changed and check our website for any further updates. Thank you again and we look forward to seeing you soon!
Regards,
Dr. Diana Yew