The Ministry of Health has now procured a stockpile of oxygen saturation monitors for monitoring COVID-19 positive patients through primary care. They will deliver these to your practice wherever you are, for you to lend to patients during monitoring.
Here is the information from them on how to access an oximeter, and a resource toolkit.
Other local Hamilton pulse oximeter access
HFAM has obtained a limited supply of pulse oximeters (oxygen monitors).
Pulse oximeters are available for patients you are monitoring who:
- Do not have / cannot access a pulse oximeter in any other way;
- Tested positive for COVID-19; and
- Are in the high-risk category (visit HFAM website and click “Monitoring and Follow-up” for risk assessment tool)
How to access:
Please call Anju Dalal (905-525-9140 ext. 28251), who will answer this line Monday to Friday 9 to 5, out-of-hours messages will be picked up on the next working day. Please have the following details to hand:
- Patient full name, address and phone number
- Family physician name and phone number
- Arrangements for pickup or delivery of the pulse oximeter (see below)
| Pick-up instructions | Delivery instructions |
| If patient has someone who can come to the clinic to pick up the pulse oximeter: – Name of person who will be picking it up (please confirm it is not a quarantining contact!) – Phone number for person picking up (we will connect with them) Pulse oximeter will be left with McMaster Family Practice clinic entry screeners on the 3rd floor of David Braley Health Sciences Centre. Package will be labeled with the names of the patient and the person picking up the unit. | If no-one is available to pick up the pulse oximeter, then a few volunteers are available to deliver it to the patient. Please include: – Number to text or call when volunteer has arrived – Where to leave the pulse ox (e.g. “place in mailbox” or “leave at front door”) – Any other information that would be helpful for the volunteer (e.g. parking information, beware of dogs, etc.) Volunteer will ring doorbell, or send a text to confirm arrival to patient. |
How to return the pulse oximeters:
Please tell patients and caregivers that supply of pulse oximeters is very limited at present, so these need to be returned to the clinic as soon as they are no longer needed.
To return the pulse oximeter, patients can call Anju at 905-525-9140 ext. 28251 to arrange for someone to drop it off at the clinic, or to have a volunteer return to the home to pick it up if there is no other option. These instructions are included with the pulse oximeter also.
Patient instructions on using the pulse oximeter:
The instructions below are on the HFAM site, and will be included with the unit. These can also be printed and shared with patients as needed.
Pulse Oximeter Patient Instructions (ProResp)