Because of the current pandemic caused by COVID-19, we're all navigating a new normal. No industry has been forced to adapt their processes quite as quickly or drastically as healthcare. As practices ramp-up to aid with the outbreak or prepare for a surge in patients, they must somehow also find ways to minimize the spread of COVID-19 in their professional ranks and among these same patients. One approach is simply keeping patients physically distant from each other-not an easy task when you have patients filling up waiting rooms. But some healthcare providers are finding new ways to keep patients a safe distance from each other without compromising on care. These tactics let them keep waiting rooms empty and minimize the risk of exposure for all parties involved.

One increasingly common practice is setting up a so-called "remote waiting room" for patients who have an appointment. Rather than cancelling or rescheduling their care due to the threat of transmission, a remote waiting room lets practices continue to see patients one at a time, without requiring patients to interact with anyone but their care provider