hospital masking policies

[redbird]

One of the local hospital chains, Mass General Brigham, is going to start requiring doctors and other staff to mask in patient rooms. However, they also say that patients don't need to mask (no change there) but if a patient wants to mask, they must wear a facility-provided mask either on its own or over their own masks. Explicitly, you can walk around bare-faced, but you can't walk around visibily wearing an N95 mask, it has to be covered, allegedly so they can be sure you're wearing a good mask. But it's OK to wear no mask at all, that won't worry them.

My eye doctor is affiliated with MGH, so I now get email from them, and this was in the most recent message. Beth Israel Lahey, which my primary doctor and most of my other specialists and the PT person are affiliated with, wasn't requiring masking on my last few visits, but the only mention of my N95 was a mention in the pulmonologist's after-visit notes of "mask and glasses in place."

Comments

[minoanmiss]

I wonder if MGH is trying to be original or something.

Over here at CHA we're all just masking. Fortunately fewer than one patient a day whines about it.

[thistleingrey]

The policy redbird described matches my 2022 outpatient experience of UCSF and early 2023 experience taking an older relative to appointments at a regional provider. I think it's not to rule out N95/similar, only cloth masks and face shields, but "If mask, then __ mask" does make for some odd gaps.

[redbird]

That would make a little sense if they said something about cloth masks. But the only example they give for the patient wanting to wear their own mask is an N95.

This seems oddly consistent with MGH being the hospital that said last summer that patients could ask doctors to mask, but the doctor doesn't have to do so, if they don't think it's necessary.

By contrast, the only time Mt. Auburn Hospital has told me I have to change masks is to have an MRI, because they have masks that contain no metal of any sort. That makes sense. In 2022 I wore one of their masks; more recently, I decided not to bother with the flat face mask, and instead handed the tech my good mask to keep with my eyeglasses.

[thistleingrey]

Ah, I see. (Alas.)

[otter]

That makes no sense to me.

[adrian_turtle]

Back in the spring of 2020, when n95 masks were in such short supply, hospitals were telling staff to layer masks to keep the inner mask cleaner so they could re-use it more. Now that n95 masks are so much easier to get, that should not be a consideration, but I know policies are more often based on past conditions than on present conditions. (Like the classic story of the holiday recipe that includes cutting off the end of the roast just like grandma always did. Like her grandma did. Not knowing the custom started because of a big roast and a small pan. Or like the poster in my local library that shows how to put on and remove a cloth mask very carefully without touching the front, so you don't risk infection with covid or other diseases.)

Of course, more recent studies show that layering masks can make the n95 less effective, because squishing it against your face makes it fit some people slightly less well.

[otter]

What I meant, but did not articulate well, is that too many humans, particularly those in power, are so stuck on Rules that they don't even look for Best Practices. I understood, but am shaking my head in despair.

[joseph_teller]

When masking was in place at Mount Auburn (back in 2020/2021) they would have me change out of my medical mask and into one of theirs, but they had no N95s or KN95s for patients, only staff.

I use Surgical Masks ASTM Level 3 rated, 3 ply.

I always mask at the hospital, grocery stores and on public transit... but I use the above medical masks, as the KN95s we got that my wife uses when she has to travel don't fit me... I have an extra large head... and so the elastics break or they knock my glasses off as they pop off my ears or both.

[mindstalk]

All the dentists I've seen who use N95s, work with a surgical over the N95. Maybe because of the extra fluids involved?

One approach for surgicals is to wear a mask brace like Fix the Mask to seal the edges.

[redbird]

My dental hygienist uses what looks like an N95 or KN95, and a face shield.