Resuming outpatient services during COVID times: Our approach and experience at India's apex institute

Abstract

Healthcare services have been severely strained and stressed coping with the rising burden of COVID-19 patients. With the situation gradually worsening and the growing need to cater to Non-COVID patients, we ventured to reopen the OPDs. This was to be implemented in a staggered manner. The backbone to this endeavour was the specialised screening and sampling OPD for healthcare workers which had been earlier established. We would like to share our two-pronged approach in this unprecedented situation: establishment of a specialised screening and sampling clinic for healthcare workers and a high-volume “Influenza-like screening clinic” for the resumption of outpatient services.