How Medicross puts safety first in dental and medical consults

Taking measures to help prevent the spread of infections have always been integral in doctors’ and dentists’ rooms, and COVID-19 has stimulated the implementation of further precautions to keep Medicross patients, healthcare professionals and staff as safe as possible, so that they don’t have to be concerned when they need to access primary healthcare services.

“Stringent hygiene is always crucial in medical care and dentistry, and we enhanced our disinfection and infection prevention measures to meet the specific risks presented by COVID-19,” says Dr Rolene Wagner, medical director of Medicross medical and dental centres. 

“It is understandable that the public have been careful about going anywhere in light of the pandemic, but unfortunately many people are now in dire need of dental care – particularly those who may have been putting off a dental check-up since before the pandemic started and are now living with toothache or sensitivity,” adds Dr Oelie van Schalkwyk, dental director of Medicross medical and dental centres.  

“It is essential that people are able to access dentistry because it is not only your smile that suffers with poor dental health, it is also an important factor in overall health and wellness. Unfortunately a significant percentage of people are totally unaware that periodontal disease, more commonly known as gum disease, may increase risk towards systemic conditions and diseases in the form of heart or cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, dementia, bacterial pneumonia, premature births and low birth weight. 

“Dental health helps us to eat, talk and express ourselves comfortably and confidently – and the significance of this to quality of life should not be underestimated.”

According to Dr Wagner, even before the easing of lockdown restrictions, Medicross had put in place solutions to enable the provision of healthcare to continue in a way that would be practical and optimally safe in the context of this new viral infection threat.

Preventative protection measures within Medicross include the following: 

• The facilities are cleaned at regular intervals throughout the day with cleaning agents that are proven to be effective against known germs, including COVID-19. The centres are furthermore disinfected daily in their entirety by fogging with an antiseptic chemical agent proven to be effective against bacteria and viruses, including COVID-19.
• Instruments and patient examination areas are sanitised between each consultation.
• Air purification units in every centre offer three modes of protection: virus-destroying filtration; sterilising UV-C light; and powerful photocatalytic oxidation air purification technology that neutralises pathogens safely.
• Pre-treatment patient screening and daily screening of all persons working at the centres prior to entry for symptoms of, or possible exposure to, COVID-19. Appropriate clinical support is provided where concerns are identified. 
• Robust isolation, tracking and tracing operating procedures are in place. 
• All clinical and support staff wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Clear screens installed at customer care service points provide physical barriers to help prevent droplet spread.
• Everyone entering Medicross facilities must wear a facemask and sanitise their hands.

“Waiting areas and consulting rooms have also been re-arranged to promote safe physical distancing. We have put considerable thought and effort, and spared no expense, into bolstering our infection prevention protocols for the protection of our patients, staff, doctors and dentists at Medicross centres,” Dr Wagner says.

 

“Our intention is to keep our patients, doctors and staff safe at all times. All Medicross staff have been trained to take every precaution necessary to promote the safety of all in our facilities, in line with our highly precautionary approach,” Dr Wagner concludes. 

 

 Looking for a medical appointment? Netcare appointmed™ will make appointments with GPs and dentists at Medicross medical and dental centres and with specialists practising at Netcare hospitals and Akeso mental health facilities for YOU. Simply phone Netcare appointmed™  on 0860 555 565, Mondays to Fridays between 08:00 and 17:00, or request an appointment online at www.netcare.co.za/Request-a-medical-appointment. 

To find out more about the services offered through Medicross medical and dental centres, or other of the Group’s facilities, please visit www.medicross.co.za or www.netcare.co.za or contact the Netcare customer service centre either by email at customer.service@netcare.co.za or phone 0860 NETCARE (0860 638 2273). Note that the centre operates Mondays to Fridays from 08:00 to 16:00.