When Dr. Sujata Basawaraj thought about opening her office to patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, she wasn’t sure how to keep her staff and patients safe from the potential spread of the virus.

“Because screening is everything, right,” Basawaraj said.

Her 18-year-old daughter, a recent high school graduate, had an idea over a dinner table conversation.

“I kinda came up with the idea having some sort of virtual questionnaire or a check-in system,” Riya Rangdal said. “I just thought this could be just another way for her to do specifically COVID-19 screening for her patients.”

So Rangdal designed an app for that. It’s called SignIn Online. It allows patients to answer COVID screening questions, and uses a QR code to send the information to front office staff; no pens, paper, or close contact required.

Rangdal beta-tested her app at her mother’s dental office, Main Dentistry in The Colony.

“The amount of surfaces that people are touching has decreased. The amount of close contact has decreased. And that is all helping with social distancing, “Rangdal said.

Rangdal said the app is being used at dental and medical offices in several states across the U.S., and in Europe and India as well.

“I’m actually happy that this is not just for me,” Basawaraj said. “It’s for everyone.”

“I feel like if we all follow the guidelines and use these sort of safety measures it will be a lot easier to return to I guess what we would call our ‘normal’,” Rangdal said.

Rangdal said the SignIn Online app helps with contact tracing too, in case there is exposure in an office. The app is available for iPhone and Android.

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Source: https://www.nbcdfw.com