Jennifer,
I am a dentist with my own practice. I am concerned for my own health and my family. From an ethical standpoint, do I have an obligation to treat patients with corona virus symptoms?
Thanks, Dr. P
Answer:
Depends. The ADA states you do have an obligation for emergency cases, and you do not for non-emergency cases. The overriding priority is contagion spread -
https://www.ada.org/en/publications/ada-news/2020-archive/february/ada-releases-coronavirus-handout-for-dentists-based-on-cdc-guidelines
The CDC guidelines notes that, in cases when a patient presents with symptoms of a respiratory infection, DHCP may consider postponing non-emergency or elective dental procedures until a patient is no longer contagious with diseases that may be transmitted through airborne, droplet, or contact transmission (e.g., sneezing, coughing, and contact with skin).
If urgent dental treatment is necessary, DHCP and medical providers should work together to determine the appropriate precautions on a case-by-case basis to avoid the potential spread of diseases among patients, visitors, and staff. Because dental settings are not typically designed to carry out all of the Transmission-Based Precautions that are recommended for hospital and other ambulatory care settings, DHCP and medical providers will need to determine whether the facility is an appropriate setting for the necessary services for a potentially infectious patient.
Relevant newly issued guidance also is available at the New York Department of Labor, available here - https://health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/coronavirus/providers.htm.Health Advisories
- CDC guidance has been updated. Please see CDC Healthcare Provider Guidance on Novel Coronavirus
- Criteria for Discontinuation of Quarantine of Patients with COVID-19 (March 8, 2020) (PDF)
- Nursing Home Guidance Letter (March 6, 2020) (PDF)
- Health Advisory: Identification and Testing of COVID-19 Persons Under Investigation (PUIS) (February 29, 2020) (PDF)
- Health Advisory: Update on COVID-19 for Healthcare Facilities (February 25, 2020) (PDF)
- Health Advisory: Update and Interim Guidance On the Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) (February 3, 2020) (PDF)
- Health Advisory: Interim Guidance for Healtcare Providers and Facilities In New York State On the Outbreak of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) (January 17, 2020) (PDF)
Webinars
- Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Weekly Key Updates and Q&A Session (March 5, 2020) (YouTube)
- Healthcare Provider COVID-19 Weekly Key Updates and Q&A Session (February 27, 2020) (PDF)
- An Update for Healthcare Providers (February 20, 2020) (YouTube)
- An Update for Healthcare Providers (February 11, 2020) (Audio, MP3)
- An Update for Healthcare Providers (February 3, 2020) (YouTube)
Printable Materials
- Attention All Patients Sign: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Korean, Italian, Haitian Creole, Polish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese (PDF)
- Attention All Visitors Sign: English, Spanish, French, Russian, Korean, Italian, Haitian Creole, Simplified Chinese (PDF)
- Attention All Visitors Poster (Nursing Homes) (PDF)
- Patient Card: English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese (PDF)
- Letter to Health Care Providers (PDF)
- Letter to Health Care Providers (DOC)
Guidance
- 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Interim Guidance: Protocol for COVID-19 Testing Applicable to All Health Care Providers and Local Health Departments (LHD) (March 9, 2020)
- 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Interim Containment Guidance: Precautionary Quarantine, Mandatory Quarantine and Mandatory Isolation Applicable to all Local Health Departments (LHD) (March 9, 2020)
- EMS Providers: Policy Statement 20-02: COVID-19 EMS Practitioner Guidance (V3.0) (February 14, 2020)
- EMS Providers: Policy Statement 20-03: COVID-19 County Emergency Managers, County EMS Coordinators, and PSAP Guidance (V1.0) (February 14, 2020)
- Letter to Hospitals: Process to request PPE (February 6, 2020) (PDF)
- Movement and Monitoring Guidance (February 6, 2020) (PDF)
- Designation of Communicable Disease (February 1, 2020) (PDF)
- Infection Control and Prevention