Management of otolaryngology outpatients in COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

n this review, we discuss patient management in otolaryngology outpatient clinics during COVID-19 pandemic and present the practices of our own clinic with different examples from different continents. During the pandemic process, outpatient admissions should be postponed and medical services should be provided by telephone or e-mail to prevent healthcare workers from becoming infected. In case of required admissions, after the appropriate triage for COVID-19, the patient must be examined using personal protective equipment. In the pandemic process, the protection of qualified workforce within the health system is the highest priority for the communities. Therefore, guides have been published for healthcare workers to provide health services by protecting themselves from this disease in their daily practices. However, there is no widely accepted guideline worldwide, yet. With the accumulation of experiences to be reported from many continents, a generally accepted guide on how to continue outpatient services, invasive procedures, and elective surgeries can be developed during the pandemic process.