November Update to Patients

While we all navigate the expected winter COVID surge, we thought it was important to update you on what our office continues to do to protect our patients and staff.

How we’re protecting ourselves and you: Swiss Cheese Model

The Swiss cheese model of accident causation is a model used in risk analysis and risk management, including aviation safety, engineering, healthcare, emergency service organizations, and as the principle behind layered security, as used in computer security and defense in depth. It likens human systems to multiple slices of swiss cheese, stacked side by side, in which the risk of a threat becoming a reality is mitigated by the differing layers and types of defenses which are “layered” behind each other. Therefore, in theory, lapses and weaknesses in one defense do not allow a risk to materialize, since other defenses also exist, to prevent a single point of failure. The model was originally formally propounded by Dante Orlandella and James T. Reason of the University of Manchester and has since gained widespread acceptance. It is sometimes called the “cumulative act effect”.

We believe this model applies to Covid-19. With all these layers Covid protection is optimized.

• Masks
• Hand washing / Sanitization / Gloves
• Distancing
• Limiting contact periods to 15 minutes as much as possible
• Reducing exposure risks by limiting social activities and unnecessary travel

To Mitigate Risk

• We ask that you reschedule your appointment if you have been in any environment that may be considered high-risk, including:
• If you or anyone around you has had any symptoms of COVID such as a fever, cough, sore throat, loss of taste or smell, nausea, or diarrhea.
• If you have travelled recently or been around someone who recently traveled.
• If you have been contacted by a contact tracer and are awaiting results.
• If you have been exposed to or been around someone who has had known exposure to a COVID+ patient.
• If you have been instructed by a health care professional to quarantine.
• We require our staff and patients to be masked when in the office.
• We have implemented stringent protocols that include cleaning all seats, touch points, chin rests, and instruments thoroughly with an FDA approved product between patients. This process is thoroughly documented for accountability and to ensure consistency.
• If Dr. White or a staff member must touch you in order to complete a test or eyewear adjustment, we will put on a clean pair of gloves prior.
• We continue with a limited schedule to ensure proper social distancing and limited contact throughout your appointment.
• We have broken longer appointments in to two short appointment in order to limit your time spent in the office and decrease exposure.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
We have always made sanitation and cleaning a priority in our office and we were prepared to ramp up sanitation to help manage the changes brought on by COVID-19. We have made an effort to continue providing these safety precautions at no cost to you. As you can imagine, our increased use of paper towels, cleaners, sanitizers, gloves, masks, etc has been considerable. You will now see a $10.00 charge for PPE during all clinical visits. This is covered by some insurance plans with others coming online as time evolves.

Patient Portal
We ask for your patience in responding to your calls and texts as we currently field nearly 150 calls per day before 1pm under the current circumstances.

Did you know you may be able to get answers to some of your questions via your patient portal? You can check appointment dates/times, check on the status of your eyewear or contact lens order, send us a secure message, print eyewear and contact lens prescriptions, view invoices, and view your medical history by logging in to your secure, online portal? If you’re not sure how to access it, please email our staff at info@cweyes.com.

We are Here for You!
We ask that only appointed patients approach the offices at your assigned time +/- 5 minutes. While our clinic doors will remain closed to walk ins, we can coordinate eyewear repairs or product pick up as needed, just reach out to us!

Phone or Text: 360.376.5310 / 360.378.3553 Email: info@cweyes.com

Thank you for being a valued San Juans Vision Source patient.

Dr. White and the Vision Source Team