COVID-19 Visitation for Patients with Disabilities

PURPOSE

To ensure access for individuals with disabilities to support persons, assistive devices, and communication tools to the greatest extent possible.

POLICY

The Endoscopy Center of Connecticut considers a designated support person essential to patient care for patients with disabilities where the disability may be due to altered mental status, intellectual or cognitive disability, cognitive impairment including dementia, communication barriers or behavioral concerns.

  • Patients with disabilities who need assistance due to the specifics of their disability, may have one designated support person with them to support their disability related needs.
  • Such designated support person may be a family member, personal care assistant, similar disability service provider, or other individual knowledgeable about the management of their care, to physically or emotionally assist them or to ensure effective communication during their care, provided proper precautions are taken to contain the spread of infection.
  • "The disabled patient's support person must be asymptomatic for COVID-19 and must not be a suspect or recently confirmed case. Additionally, Endoscopy Center staff must screen the support person for symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g., fever, cough, or shortness of breath), conduct a temperature check prior to entering the facility, and screen for potential exposures to individuals testing positive for COVID19.
  • The Facility shall provide appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to be worn by the designated support person as instructed by the Facility for the duration of the visit.

For the health and safety of all patients, staff and physicians the following requirement is for all “Support Persons” of disabled patients. All Support Person must be screened for COVID-19 prior to entering the facility.

Endoscopy Center staff will:

  1. Conduct a temperature check
  2. Screen for symptoms of COVID-19
    1. Fever/chills >100
    2. Shortness of breath
    3. New onset cough
    4. Loss of taste
    5. Body/muscle aches
    6. Sore throat or headache
    7. New onset diarrhea
  3.  Screen for recent exposure to individuals testing positive for COVID19.

Full document with Daily Log of Symptoms Prior to Your Procedure

The determination of potential exposure shall be based upon CDC Guidance, as updated, on Community Related Exposure. See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/php/public-health-recommendations.html.