HOW DOCTORS CAN

ADAPT FOR COVID19

INTERVIEW ROUNDUP

Originally Published onLogicInbound.com

https://www.logicinbound.com/how-doctors-can-adapt-for-covid-19/
Dr. Kenneth Jainandan - General Dentist
In the current situation with COVID-19 what are the major challenges?

“Performing elective dental procedures – you don’t know which patient may be
positive, and the aerosol created with dental procedures poses a great risk to
yourself and your assistant.”

Any advice for dentists on what they should do about the current situation?

“Follow the Florida Board of Dentistry guidelines, and keep abreast with the
situation as it is dynamic.”

Suggestions for dentists who are not yet affected by these changes?

● Do temperature checks on all patients

● Utilize a N95 mask for yourself and assistant
● New disposable gown for each patient
● Keep up to date with the news
Dr. Austin Fontenot - Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Practitioner
In the current situation with COVID-19, what are the major
challenges?

● Ensuring safety of people

● Never guaranteed but you take extra precaution on sanitation and
cleanliness

Advice for doctors and what they should do about it?

● Do just exactly that — take every precaution to minimize exposure

and extra precaution on sanitizing and cleaning
● Space out appointments to avoid crowd

What’s your outlook for 2020?

● A positive outlook especially with online entrepreneurship.

Telehealth will take a larger role in the future.
● Online anything is going to be fast tracked during the pandemic
Dr. Kwane - founder of Kare, a healthcare firm providing mobile dental
services
In the current situation with COVID-19, what are your major challenges?

● As a provider: Adjusting. Adjusting to things that are just unprecedented

are a challenge.
● Restructuring debt, calling lenders to get forbearance on your liabilities
to stay open and reduce your monthly expenditures.
● Doing extra air filtration and doing everything possible to provide a safe
environment

How are you managing medical supplies through this COVID-19 situation?

● Make contact with the metro government to find any other avenue to
obtain PPE (personal protective equipment) through the city
● The supplies issue will be a bigger question for another week or so,
supply shortages hasn’t been a problem until now.
April Rhoads - Healthcare Consultant
In the current situation with COVID-19, what are the major
challenges you see?

“All providers are going to have to pivot. The ones that

are flexible and creative enough to pivot are going to be
successful at the end of this.”

Any advice for doctors? what should they do about it?

One: This is a great time to take a step back and do

training.

For example:
● Training on a device
● Training your staff
● Teambuilding
 “Operationalize your business so when it is time to
open your doors, you’re running even better than
before.”

Two: A lot of offices are also offering free consultations

right now.

“Everyone is on instagram right now so there’s an

amazing opportunity to pick up new patients.”

What’s your outlook for 2020?

“Uncertainty is the name of the game right now.”

“Just accept this and know that you’ll be changing

every day.
Now is the time to get creative and pivot as much as
you can.”
Dr. Michelle Farnoush - Cosmetic and Implant Dentist
In the current situation with COVID19 what are the major
Challenges for you and for the doctors you work with?

“Most or all dental offices are stopped and moved to

emergency only. That means you don’t see the same volume
or number of patients. For most dentists offices, employees
are furloughed or laid off. You’ve lost staff and patients and
the income that keeps your doors open.”

The ADA released a protocol — ADA protocol algorithm

(released 4.1.20) “ADA Interim Guidance for Management of
Emergency and Urgent Dental Care”
https://www.ada.org/~/media/CPS/Files/COVID/ADA_Int_Gui
dance_Mgmt_Emerg-Urg_Dental_COVID19.pdf?utm_source
=adaorg&utm_medium=covid-resources-lp&utm_content=cv
-pm-ebd-interim-flowchart&utm_campaign=covid-19
Do you have any advice for doctors? What should they do in this situation?

Build value for your team and your brand. You have to make sure that you’re listening to
FACTS

● A lot of associates are independent contractors, and unemployment insurance might

not include that in some states.
● Figure out 5 things you could improve your life both personally and professionally.
● Talk to patients, screen them over the phone.
● Everyone is in the same boat, learn how to be lean and how to best work smarter.
● Biggest advice; This is the catch up game.
1. Catch up on insurance claims
2. Inventory revisions
3. Maintenance, take the office apart.
4. Take all your Continuing Education virtually.”

What’s your outlook for 2020?

“On Being Lean — there are many resources online. Look at your last collections, look at the
SBA things and EIDL things you could get. Look at advertising and other expenses. Put that in the
model building, you could look at an excel sheet.”
 In the ramp up: People won’t rush for all the elective cosmetic work, that’s going to
be slower, but it’ll come back. Maybe we’ll see more single-tooth dentistry and
coming back to basics. Jot ideas down and develop new skills. Invent your
competitors — what would they look like, what would their team be like?

Get a good screening protocol in place.

There’s a few additional questions you might want to add to that when
you’re coming back to the office.
For example:
1. Ask if they’ve taken any medications that could impact their temperature.
2. Ask if they’ve had a change or loss in smell, or altered senses.
3. Ask them take and hold a deep breath for 10 seconds and let it out slowly — if
they struggle that could be a sign to see a primary care physician before
seeing you.
N95 masks are being recommended, disposable gowns etc. Things like that are the
planning stages to position yourself to come back.

(Follow up question — when will things reopen?)

We haven’t hit the peak yet, and that’s going to dictate when we come out of it. If
you do it too early you risk another wave of infections.

“Dentists are very well positioned when it comes to PPE sterilization and sanitization
measures for years.”
 Questions?
Reach out to
vlad@logicinbound.com
if you have any questions