COLUMBIA, S.C. — Providence Health said Friday it's going to resume some elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures that were rescheduled due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Last month, state and federal officials has asked hospitals to postpone non-emergency surgeries to make sure there were enough hospital beds to deal with a surge in COVID-19 patients. But with projections on volume of cases lowering, the hospital made the decision to start these procedures again.
“Resuming these important services is an essential component of meeting our community’s health needs and advancing our mission of Making Communities Healthier by Extending Christ’s Healing Ministry,” said Terry Gunn, Chief Executive Officer of Providence Health. “As this work gradually gets underway in our hospitals again, we remain committed to conserving critical supplies, being vigilant in our fight against COVID-19, and ensuring that our facilities are safe places for all patients, providers and employees.”
The hospitals says during the pandemic, they carefully followed guidance from federal, state and local officials, monitored the prevalence of the virus in the community, and evaluated supplies and resources – including personal protective equipment like masks, gowns, gloves and goggles.
The hospital says the decisions about which procedures can safely move forward will be made only after assessing a comprehensive pre-operative checklist and evaluating potential risks. The hospitals will initially focus on scheduling patients with more time-sensitive health needs, and those decisions will be made in partnership with the attending physician/surgeon/proceduralist.
Patients who are scheduled and approved for procedures must meet specific requirements, including passing standard COVID-19 screenings. Surgical patients also will be asked to practice “safer at home” behaviors for seven days prior to their procedure to minimize potential exposure; check their temperature twice a day during this 7-day period and report temperatures over 100°F to their provider; and undergo testing for COVID-19.
Patients awaiting information about their previously postponed procedure can expect to hear from their provider or provider’s office to discuss rescheduling at the appropriate time.
Providence Health will continue to screen everyone who enters the facilities, mask everyone in patient care areas and maintain a zero-visitor protocol for the foreseeable future.