COVID-19 & Your Team: Curbside Services Protocols

We know that caring for the health and well-being of pet patients is challenging at this time, and many practices are opting for curbside/drop-off exams and services to keep physical human interaction, clinic access and viral exposure to a minimum.

When offering curbside services, the following procedures can help limit your employees’ exposure and keep clients and their pets safe:

Instruct clients to call the hospital when they arrive to alert staff they are in the parking lot.
While on the phone, have a technician get a brief history before sending the vet/technician out to the vehicle and waiting for the pet.
Doctors and staff should consider wearing protective gloves, masks and/or gowns as pet fur can potentially harbor the coronavirus from infected clients.
If the pet needs an initial examination in the vehicle, try to keep as much personal distance as possible between yourself and the client and any other persons in the vehicle.
Except when an animal is non-ambulatory or must be examined in the vehicle, staff members should come to the car and swiftly transport the pet inside the practice while the client remains outside.
Use a designated exam room—possibly the one closest to the door—that can be thoroughly cleaned after each use.
The veterinarian can discuss any findings, diagnosis, and treatment with the pet owner by phone or video app, such as Facetime.
Once the exam and/or treatment is complete, all used protective gloves, masks, and gowns should be thrown away outside the clinic. The doctor/team members involved in the appointment should immediately and thoroughly wash their hands with soap and water.
Payments should be done over the phone and/or electronically whenever possible.

To limit the need for clients to enter your hospital, you should also consider curbside pick-ups of medications and food.

We have prepared the following content and communication tools for your use to alert your clients to the changes: