With Texas loosening elective procedure bans, North Dallas Ear Nose & Throat is already rescheduling procedures — but it will need to earn patients' trust to get volumes back up, The Dallas Morning News reports.
North Dallas Ear Nose & Throat, which usually sees about 80 patients a week, fielded a single patient phone call the third week of April. Before the pandemic prompted elective surgery restrictions, the practice's physicians typically performed about 40 surgeries a month.
The practice is led by Morris Gottlieb, MD, who said resuming elective procedures will require showing the public it's safe to come back again without putting themselves or others in danger.
Dr. Gottlieb plans to move forward as if everyone in the facility has COVID-19. That means requiring all staff and patients to wear masks. When Dr. Gottlieb performs surgeries at Baylor Surgicare at North Dallas, he will be wearing an N95 mask at all times.
In addition, staff will be required to remain in the operating room for 15 minutes after each surgery is finished and the patient's breathing tube is removed. This measure is intended to give the micronized filtration system time to clean the air before the OR doors are opened.
Before they even enter the facility, patients will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms and travel history. Other precautions include asking visitors to wait in their cars while patients are seen.
