Health & Safety Practices
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY BEFORE APPOINTMENT
Effective: 12/03/25
This healthcare practitioner is committed to supporting the health and safety of all clients, the therapist and of all their families. As part of that commitment, I personally am continuing to maintain maximum vaccination schedules for both COVID and influenza.
Other current health and safety procedures of this practice are based on public health guidance from the State of Maryland and Montgomery County, as well as general infection control recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB). However, since most COVID pandemic restrictions and guidelines have now been lifted in the U.S., this practice no longer follows the full pandemic guidance previously set out by the above authorities.
Nevertheless, because periodic surges of COVID and influenza infections continue to occur in Maryland, including Montgomery County, and members of my family have conditions that may put them at greater risk for more severe effects of respiratory diseases, this practice currently maintains the following health and safety requirements.
HEALTH AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL APPOINTMENTS:
• All appointments must be booked and confirmed by phone or e-mail at least two hours in advance; no walk-in appointments will be accepted.
• The therapist reserves the right to cancel or reschedule any therapy if a client shows overt signs of illness including, but not limited to, coughing, sneezing or elevated temperature.
• Clients must complete a Massage Client Intake Form, recording health history and informed consent to treatment, prior to first therapy; and then update the history annually. Preferably, this form should be completed, signed and sent or brought to the therapist to review before the first appointment. See Helpful Forms on the website for download.
• Clients may park in one of two off-street parking spaces, if unoccupied, in front of the garage door of the therapist’s home, or in any nearby on-street parking space.
• Clients may enter the therapy office only through the front garage door which is at ground level and provides stair-less access by walking or wheel-chair.
• Clients are asked to notify the therapist on arrival, by text or phone call, and wait outside until the appointment time when the therapist will open the garage door to meet the client. PLEASE DO NOT RING THE FRONT DOORBELL.
ONLY CLIENTS RECEIVING THERAPY MAY ENTER (with a guardian or caretaker, if needed).
• The therapist will first review health history, including any current signs of illness that might contraindicate therapy, as appropriate, including body temperature.
• The therapist reserves the right to decline treatment for any medical or other reason that, in the therapist’s sole judgment, may risk the health or safety of the client or therapist.
• The therapist will generally wear a protective face mask inside the office at all times, including during therapy. Clients will not usually be required to wear a mask during therapy, but a disposable surgical face mask can be provided if a client agrees to wear it.
ADDITIONAL SAFETY MEASURES THAT THE THERAPIST WILL APPLY:
• Wash hands with soap and water or apply an alcohol-based hand sanitizer directly before and immediately after each therapy session.
• Change all linens between clients and handle and wash all soiled linens using FSMTB safety guidelines.
• Disinfect all massage therapy tools and material dispensers after each client.
• Disinfect all high-touch surfaces between clients (i.e. surfaces handled frequently by multiple people, in the waiting area, treatment room and restroom).
• Clean all floors (MT room, entry and waiting areas) with EPA registered cleaner and also deep clean the restroom at the end of each day.
• If the therapist suspects that he has been exposed to Covid-19, influenza or any other infectious disease, he will self-isolate until he is found to be free of infection.