Baptist Health hosted a live press conference on Tuesday to discuss post-COVID-19 practices that patients can expect, including Bahamian patients that travel to Baptist Health and/or visit the Miami Cancer Institute's (an affiliate of Baptist Health) radiation oncology clinic in Nassau.

In order to continue to treat the 1200 patients that seek chemotherapy and radiation therapy at the Miami Cancer Institute daily, the staff restructured how patients are admitted and implemented virtual follow-ups known as “tele-medicine.”

By reducing the Institute’s 10 entrances to one specific entrance for patients and another for employees, the entry screening process was enhanced to include hand sanitizing, temperature reading, distribution of face masks, and being asked questions pertaining to COVID-19 symptoms. If questions prove positive, then patients or employees are tested for coronavirus at the Institute. If proved positive for the virus, then the patient is quarantined.

Dr. Michael Zinner, CEO and Executive Medical Director of the Miami Cancer Institute, said that the screening process is especially vital for cancer patients requiring surgeries, because if they are COVID-19 positive they would be at higher risk.

“The cancer patients we’re caring for are probably the highest vulnerable patient population that we have in the system. Many of these patients are immuno-compromised. Many of them are under active treatment. Many of them are seeking either radiation therapy or chemotherapy and it puts them at higher risk,” Dr. Zinner said.

The Institute will remain open to accommodate patients and enhance its facilities in the US and the Caribbean. For instance, waiting areas were also rearranged and visitors were eliminated to accommodate patients’ needs and to ensure a safe environment.