Chiropody Clinic Reopening

Dear Bernard Betel Centre Chiropody Patient,

We hope this finds you well. We are pleased to let you know that in the coming weeks, we will begin to welcome patients back to the chiropody clinic. The health and safety of our members, staff, volunteers, and community is our priority, and we will be following strict guidelines provided by Toronto Public Health, the City of Toronto, and the College of Chiropodists of Ontario. We are working hard to provide the safest environment possible strictly following all of the health and safety protocols by our governing body and those recommended by government health officials.

Below, we will be providing information about what’s new in the clinic, what you can expect at your appointment, what is required of all patients, and safety and sanitation protocols. We appreciate how eager you are about returning to the Bernard Betel Centre for chiropody, and look forward to welcoming you back, however, all patients must abide by the strict policies and procedures outlines in this document. Please read thoroughly, and ensure that you are comfortable and understand, prior to coming for your appointment. As a reminder, if you have any of the following symptoms, please do not come to the Bernard Betel Centre:

• Fever
• New onset of cough
• Worsening chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Decrease or loss of sense of taste or smell
• Chills
• Headaches
• Unexplained fatigue/malaise/muscle aches (myalgias)
• Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

The Bernard Betel Centre has paused all memberships for the time the centre has been closed. Your membership will be un-paused on the date of your appointment, and a new expiration date will be applied.

We appreciate your patience, flexibility, support, and understanding as we adjust to the changes. As the pandemic evolves, the clinic policies and process may change as well. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Bernard Betel Centre at 416-225-2112, ext. 131 or feedback@betelcentre.org. Please visit our website at http://www.betelcentre.org/clinics for up-to-date information about the chiropody clinic.

Be well,

Chiropody Department
Bernard Betel Centre

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Booking Your Appointment

Our appointment booking process has changed. All patients will be contacted by the Bernard Betel Centre to book an appointment. Please do not call or come to the clinic to book an appointment, including follow-up appointments. Appointments that were cancelled due to COVID-19 and the closure of the Bernard Betel Centre, will be rebooked in priority order from appointments cancelled on March 16 and onwards. Appointments will be booked in 2-week blocks of time.

Please review the Chiropody Clinic Policy so you are familiar with all of the policies including booking an appointment, cancelling an appointment, no show policy, late arrival policy, and emergency appointments and specialised care. Please remove nail polish prior to coming to an appointment. If you feel ill or any symptoms appear at any time before your appointment (even the morning of your appointment), please call us as soon as possible at 416-225-2112, ext. 131 and speak to the staff or leave a message, and we will reschedule your appointment without penalty.

For the safety of the patients and staff, we will have longer time between appointments and will be staggering appointment times when more than one chiropodist is working, to ensure that there are limited number of people in the centre, and limited opportunities to cross paths with another individual before or after your appointment. This means that there will be longer return-to-clinic time between your appointments. If you require care that requires shorter return-to-clinic times, the chiropodists can refer you to a private clinic in the area to supplement the care you receive at the Bernard Betel Centre.

When You Arrive for Your Appointment

All patients are expected to arrive 15 minutes prior to their appointment. If you can, please do not arrive any earlier than 15 minutes prior to your appointment. Our ‘Late Arrival Policy’ will be enforced, and we will not be able to see any patients that arrive late for their appointment. When you arrive at the Bernard Betel Centre for your appointment, you will enter through the door at the rear of the building off the parking lot that is labelled Entrance, just to the north of the back parking lot exit. This door will be locked, so please call 416-225-2112, ext. 131 when you arrive, or push the buzzer at the door. Please state your name, and a staff person will advise you when you may enter, and will let you in.

In order to limit the number of people in the centre, and to ensure we are practicing physical distancing, only patients will be allowed in the centre. Please ensure you are physically distanced (keep at least six feet apart) from any individual not in your social circle. Essential companions (family members, caregivers, etc.) will be allowed to come into the centre with the patient if the patient requires assistance or translation. If your companion is driving you to your appointment, and you do not require their assistance during the appointment, we ask that they please stay in their car or outside for the duration of the appointment. Please note, we do not have staff that can provide translation. If you need translation, please bring someone with you to your appointment

Please leave personal items at home or safely stowed in your car, and limit the number of items you bring into the centre. Please do not bring in shopping bags, backpacks or large bags, food, drinks, or pets. Please bring only what is required for the appointment.

If you do not have an appointment, do not come to the Bernard Betel Centre. Only individuals with appointments (and their essential companion, who is essential to provide assistance or translation for the patient) will be allowed into the centre. We do not accepts walk-in appointments.

Masks and Face Coverings

Everyone entering the Bernard Betel Centre, must have a mask or face covering as per the City of Toronto By-Law and Bernard Betel Centre policy. The use of non-medical masks or face coverings can help keep your respiratory droplets to yourself and protect others when you are unable to maintain physical distancing and in close contact with another person.

Do not remove your mask while you are at the centre for your chiropody appointment. Do not remove or lower your mask if you must speak to the Bernard Betel Centre staff, volunteers, or other individuals while you are at the centre. Please limit conversation with others while you are at the centre. Your mask or face covering must be worn the entire time you are in the building.

Do not come to the Bernard Betel Centre if you are ill or experiencing flu-like symptoms. Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer. Do not touch your mask while you are wearing it, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

A good cloth mask or face covering should:

• Be at least two layers of tightly woven cotton or linen;
• Cover over nose, mouth and chin, and be easy to breathe through;
• Fit securely to the head with ties or ear loops without gaping or impairing vision;
• Be comfortable to avoid the need for adjustments when wearing;
• Maintain its shape after washing and drying;
• Not contain non-breathable materials such as plastic (including face shields).

Proper use of a mask or face covering

• Do not share your mask with others;
• Wash your hands before putting on and after taking off a mask;
• Place the mask over your nose, mouth and chin;
• Avoid touching your face and mask while using it;
• Change your mask as soon as it is moist or dirty;
• Do not leave your mask tucked under the chin, hanging from your ear, or on your forehead;
• Remove the mask by the ear loops without touching the front of the mask;
• Put used mask in a plastic bag or directly in the laundry bin to be washed;
• Launder cloth masks with other items using the hot cycle and dryer.

Screening

Everyone entering the Bernard Betel Centre, including patients and essential companions will be screened. Patients will be screened over the phone at the time of their appointment booking, and again when you arrive at the Bernard Betel Centre for your appointment.

All patients and companions are required to complete and sign a mandatory Health Declaration Form prior to accepting treatment. The Bernard Betel Centre has the right to refuse entry to any persons who are unwell or showing symptoms, who have been to locations of public health concern in the past 14 days, or who have been in contact with any person with a confirmed case of the coronavirus.

Upon entry, you will be asked to sanitize your hands. We do not recommend wearing gloves in our clinic, and you will be asked to remove and discard them if you have them on when you arrive, so that you can sanitize your hands. All patients and companions will be asked to complete and sign the Health Declaration form, and answer YES or NO to the following questions during screening:

1. Have you travelled outside Canada in the past 14 days OR had close contact with someone who has travelled outside Canada in the past 14 days?

2. Have you tested positive for COVID-19 OR had close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 without wearing appropriate PPE?

3. Do you have any of the following symptoms:

• Fever
• New onset of cough
• Worsening chronic cough
• Shortness of breath
• Difficulty breathing
• Sore throat
• Difficulty swallowing
• Decrease or loss of sense of taste or smell
• Chills
• Headaches
• Unexplained fatigue/malaise/muscle aches (myalgias)
• Nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

4. If you are 70 years of age or older, are you experiencing any of the following symptoms:

• Delirium
• Acute functional decline
• Unexplained or increased number of falls
• Worsening of chronic conditions

If you answer YES to any of the questions, you will not be permitted to proceed with your scheduled appointment, and will be kindly asked to leave the centre. Information will be provided to you about what the next steps are if you answer YES to any of these questions.

When Your Appointment is Complete

When your appointment is over, we ask that you immediately leave the building, through the back parking lot exit (beside the Music Room). Do not go back into the treatment room to speak to the chiropodist or into the waiting room to speak to reception.

You will not be booking your follow-up appointment after your appointment. The Bernard Betel Centre will call you at a later date to book your next appointment. Appointments will be booked in 2-week blocks of time, and there will be a longer return-to-clinic time between your appointments. If you require care that requires shorter return-to-clinic times, the chiropodists can refer you to a private clinic in the area to supplement the care you receive at the Bernard Betel Centre.

Safety and Sanitation Protocols in our Clinic

For the health and safety of our patients and staff, we will have the following safety and sanitation protocols in place:

• Mandatory masks and face coverings for everyone that enters the building;
• Limiting the number of people allowed in the building to only patients and essential visitors;
• Screening of everyone that enters the building;
• Additional hand sanitizer stations;
• Plexiglas guards at our reception;
• Encouraging physical distancing with marked floor decals and waiting room chairs placed minimally 6 feet apart;
• Staggered appointments and additional time between appointments;
• Added time for disinfection;
• Disinfection of common areas at least twice a day, including bathrooms;
• Disinfection of chiropody chair and chairs in waiting room between each patient;
• As always, sterilized instruments as per College of Chiropodists of Ontario guidelines.

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