By JOSE PAOLO S. DELA CRUZ
Age before beauty? Not in this clinic. In the new normal, safety always comes first!
PeopleAsia’s two-time “People of the Year” awardee and renowned cosmetic surgeon Dr. Vicki Belo recently collaborated with top aesthetic doctors from the UK, Switzerland, Norway, India, Sweden, Australia and South Africa to achieve a consensus on guidelines that need to be followed for the safe re-opening of aesthetic clinics, as COVID-19 lockdowns are eased around the globe. Published on May 16, 2020 in the prestigious Journal of Dermatologic Therapy, The consensus paper for “preferred practices” will also be made available for the benefit of aesthetic practitioners worldwide.
More importantly, Belo, the president and CEO of the Belo Medical Group (BMG), also announced that these procedures will be implemented in all 16 clinics of BMG in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao – starting with its branch in Greenhills, San Juan City, which resumed partial operations last May 20.
So what will the new normal look like in Belo clinics? Well, it’s a lot more stringent than what you probably remember.
- Let’s talk: Pre-screening of patients is now a must at the BMG. Members of the staff will conduct a short COVID-19-related phone interview before booking patients in the clinic.
- Online COVID-19 Screening and Aesthetic Interest Survey. Patients will now need to fill-out the online COVID-19 screening as well as Belo’s AI-powered pre-consult Aesthetic Interest Questionnaire (AIQ) at their own time and convenience before arriving at the clinic.
- Check, check, check: Non-contact temperature check, hand sanitation, and use of disinfecting foot bath will be required from everyone before entering the clinic.
- Mask a must: Wearing of face masks will be mandatory while inside the clinic premises.
- Keep the distance: Social distancing will be practiced in the clinic AT ALL TIMES. Appointments will be managed and companions will temporarily be disallowed (unless necessary) to reduce the number of persons in the reception area. Walk-ins will be highly discouraged at this time so it will be best to book in advance.
- Cashless payments are highly encouraged: Belo accepts Paypal, PayMaya, GCash, WeChat Pay, and AliPay, depending on the clinic branch.
- Clean it up! Thorough disinfection and sanitation of roomswill be done using state-of-the-art medical-grade far-UVC disinfection devices.
- PURE Wellness Certification and installation of Air Intellipure® Systems. All surfaces and air-handling ducts of all Belo clinics and offices will also be bacteria- and virus shielded using Air Intellipure’s patented bacteriostatic barrier used to repel microorganisms. Medical grade air purification units will also be installed in all areas including every single. The system is 40 times more effective than HEPA filters found in hospital laboratories and critical care units and not just captures but electrocutes 99.99% of all particles and microorganisms.
Aside from these, Belo employees will also be provided with the necessary PPEs to protect themselves such as hazmat, face shield, mask, gloves, and booties. These on top of the already strict safety protocols being followed by the group to pass the stringent standards for patient safety of the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Health Providers (NABH) International plus the current guidelines and recommendations of the Department of Health (DOH), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
“The guidelines were provided for patient screening and scheduling; risk categorization of every dermatologic procedure into low, moderate and high-risk; rationale for PPE use per procedure; housekeeping changes to minimize risk of virus transmission; and adapting of new behavior routines with staff training,” said MBG in a statement sent to PeopleAsia.
With these new measures in place, the road to being ‘Belo beautiful’ is finally paved. To book an appointment call (8)-8192356 or visit their website at www.belomed.com. To book an appointment call (8)-8192356 or visit their website at www.belomed.com.
