Video appointments for infectious diseases
continue to be an important part of our appointment mix for delivering care during the COVID-19 Pandemic and to avoid transmission risks for a range of serious infectious diseases.
The practice is regulated by our Covid Safe Plan regarding matters such as mask-wearing, numbers of visitors in the rooms, isolation, quarantining etc. Our Covid Precautions Policy has guided us in balancing transmission and regulatory requirements and risks against the need to keep providing medical services to newborns and other young people and avoiding major disruptions to medical staffing in our paediatric public and private hospitals.
The necessary cleaning and sanitising of our rooms adequately for each visit will be easier if there are less visits to the rooms. Social distancing and reduction of aerosolised viral transmission risk means we must take extra care to limit the number of people in the practice at any one time and keep visits to a shorter time if possible. The aim is to continue t provide excellent care but adjust the way we do so to ensure ongoing sustainability.
and beyond:
our capacity to continue providing a video appointment option will help us, the practice and all our families, to significantly reduce the transmission of other serious infectious diseases such as Bronchiolitis, Influenza, Gastroenteritis, and even just colds.
Many families have found that a video consultation allows greater flexibility, convenience. Some are using this format to meet online while in different physical locations such as the parent’s workplaces and the young person’s school.
Most paediatric consultation time is given to history taking, discussion, and questions as well as observation of the child, as they play and interact with their parents and the doctor. Your paediatrician may also need to do a physical examination of your child but these physical examinations often only take a small part of an appointment’s time. If you have done the main part of the work in a video consultation, a brief appointment in rooms can be organised for a physical examination if needed..
We have invested in a leading health industry focused video platform that allows us to closely simulate the experience of an in-rooms consultation. Video Appointments cost more to offer and manage, costs the practice has been happy to absorb to help manage the risks of serious infectious disease transmission.
Video appointments may be necessary from time to time
If our Covid Precautions or regulations require it, appointments will be changed to Video where possible. If needed, a physical examination will be fitted in as a short additional in rooms appointment or postponed to the next appointment if appropriate.
Under our Covid Precautions, appointments should be changed to video:
if a parent or their child or the provider are infectious (with any virus), or are isolating but well enough to attend via video.
and where a physical examination is not expected to be necessary for the scheduled appointment and Covid Safe Plan directives and precautions regarding visitor density, transmission risks, extra cleaning requirements, balancing the needs of other children needing in-rooms consultation, newborns, public hospital medical staffing needs and other considerations.
At other times, under Covid Precautions, families may be invited to have their appointments as Video to assist the practice in managing Covid Risks.
Families can request Video appointments for reasons other than Covid .
Busy families can meet together in a video consultation even if mum or dad cannot get away from work, or a young person doesn’t want to miss too much school,
Families may wish to reduce the time needed (for travel, picking up kids, avoiding travel from an outer suburb) to attend an in-rooms appointment.
Families may wish to request a video appointment to help avoid extra stress or risk due to the special needs of the patient or parent. An exhausted mother of a baby can have a review discussion with their paediatrician without having to drive, or a very anxious child with ASD is able to avoid disrupting their usual routine to see the doctor.
In-rooms appointments
Infection risk from any kind of virus poses a significant risk to our services due to the continued Covid precautions applying across hospitals and health care settings. Any unwell doctor or staff member must isolate until infectious symptoms resolve and test for Covid 19 . Hence we must take additional measures to avoid the spread of any viruses so that services can continue.
our booking letter (normally emailed) outlines the Covid Precautions we require for any in-rooms appointment.
If you have any concerns about these requirements, please phone 8332 3778 to discuss your planned visit.
To keep appropriate social distances during the time of your appointment, please wait outside if possible and practicable (check with staff) and follow directions as to where to wait etc. Generally, only one parent and the child who is the patient should come but please check with staff to discuss varying this. Practice good, cough, sneeze and hand hygiene( no food, wash, use sanitiser, avoid play with phones and other devices or clean them thoroughly before the visit).
Any in-rooms appointment must be changed to Telehealth (or If primarliy for physical examination) re-scheduled
if you or your child have any infectious viral cold or flu like symptoms.
have been overseas or interstate in the past 14 days OR
have had close or casual contact in the past 14 days with a confirmed case of COVID-19 OR someone who has been overseas or interstate in last 14 days OR
if subject to a directive relating to SA COVID-19 LOCATIONS
have lost the senses of smell or taste
If you arrive at our clinic and meet any of the above conditions, our practice reserves the right to ask you to leave the clinic and reschedule your appointment.
Please note that Paediatrics at Burnside and North Adelaide does not provide testing for coronavirus (COVID-19). If you have symptoms, you should contact your local GP by phone for advice.
