The new normal at N.H.I.

It is not business as usual in most places around the world. And here at home we know this all too well. With COVID-19 prevention measures such as face masks and physical distancing being the norm for most us – several places of business have also had to change the way they operate. Today, General Manager of the N.H.I. Doctor Natalia Castillo Rodriguez shared with the press just how much N.H.I. clinics and facilities have modified the way they carry out their work. She says that they don’t expect that things will go back to the way they once were:

Dr. Natalia Castillo Rodriguez, GM, NHI SSB

Dr. Natalia Castillo Rodriguez

“What we are doing, we are working right now closely with the Ministry of Health to strengthen our health regions. During the emergency phase we have implemented a lot of new ways of doing consultations. We have our mercy clinic which is a highly vulnerable group because they take care of the geriatric group and they are most at risk. Safety measures were put in place for patients and health workers. When we reach out we use phone, zoom sessions and technology. We also identified how to reach out to patients who are not tech savvy; we also looked at the self-management and how to strengthen that where the patients are also responsible to a certain extent to manage their own health.

We are looking at all venues of the new norms. We have to schedule our patients by appointments for social distancing; if it is a refill you call first and you have that contact with your healthcare professional and they will guide you. So, it is a whole new norm of managing our patients. It won’t ever go back to what it was. I will say that.”