Dr. Gorman and the Texas Breast Center are still taking patients, but understand that there is hesitance in this time of COVID-19. To help ease fears and discomfort for patients, we have implemented certain safety measures, following Baylor Scott & White’s COVID-19 Safe Care Plan.

In-Office Policies

While some things have changed in the processes for patients and visitors to the Texas Breast Center, we are back to a full schedule. To maximize our patients’ safety, we are offering virtual care via video conferencing with your doctor for some appointments. There is also a drive-thru option for specimen collection. The waiting room is currently closed according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, so when a patient arrives, they will wait in their car until an exam room is ready. When they are informed a room is ready, they will be escorted directly to their rooms. To encourage social distancing for both the patient and physician, only one visitor will be allowed to accompany the patient back. Everyone must wear a mask, including patients, visitors, and medical team members.

There will also be a screening process upon entry checking for any temperatures above 99.6 F as well as asking about potential COVID-19 symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, or others. If the patient answers yes to the questions or has a fever, they will be quickly moved to a separate, designated area, to prevent the spread of infection. If a visitor has a fever or answers, yes, health services will be offered. If the visitor does not need them at that time, we will request that they return home and contact their primary care doctor.

Policies and procedures are a little different when it comes to surgery rather than a general appointment or checkup at the facility.

Pre-Surgery Policies

While a surgeon’s preparatory efforts start happening well in advance of the surgery, usually a patient does not need to take any action until the day before. However, under the Safe Care guidelines, patients have a few tasks they must take care of in the week leading up to their surgery to assist in potential disease control.

Each patient is enrolled in a digital care journal five days in advance to help monitor them for fever or other symptoms of COVID-19. This online journal also offers resources to each patient who has questions. Then, 48 hours before the procedure, each patient will be tested, even if not symptomatic. Many people infected with COVID-19 are asymptomatic and can spread the virus without being aware of the risk. This is why both the testing and the personal journal are essential to your treatment. The results will determine how you and your medical team members proceed from there.

If your test comes back negative, you do not have the virus. You will not be called with the results if this is the case and can proceed with your surgery as expected. However, be aware that if the test is taken within the first 1-2 days after being infected, the results may show negative. So processes are in place at the hospital to keep patients safe, including masks worn by all hospital staff. If the COVID-19 test reveals a positive result, you have an active infection. In this case, you will be called by a healthcare team member to give you information on how to care for yourself and protect those around you. We will notify the local health department of your positive test–we are required to do so–so that you do not have to worry about it. Your surgeon and team will make a case-by-case determination on whether to postpone your procedure or continue as scheduled based on specific health needs and requirements.

When surgery takes place, all patients and visitors are screened upon entry to the building. On the day of the procedure, each patient is allowed one visitor, and then one for every 24 hours they remain admitted.

Personal Health and Safety

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given us many guidelines and pointed us in a direction to follow to best care for our patients. In following these guidelines and setting up some ourselves to keep our patients safe, we have implemented new options and arrangements. As stated above, virtual care and telemedicine options are now available before and after procedures and surgeries whenever appropriate so that patients may stay home and away from hospitals.

Along these lines, Virtual Waiting Rooms have been implemented. These are patient portals used to communicate updates about care, scheduling, etc. between the hospitals, doctors’ offices, and surgery centers. These ‘waiting rooms’ can be used to set up messaging via text or phone calls as well so that there is the absolute minimum time spent in common areas.

Everyone within the buildings, including staff, patients, and visitors, must be masked and participate in social distancing to assist each other in minimizing the spread of COVID-19. We have also implemented touch-free protocols, involving paperless registration, and enhanced cleaning protocols, including UV-light disinfection.

Dr. Gorman

Dr. Gorman understands that for our breast cancer patients, the COVID-19 pandemic is only increasing the stress and anxiety in an already challenging and uncertain time. However, with the Safe Care plan, we are doing everything we can to help our patients navigate and continue on their journey to recovery.