By CHRISTINE HAINES
Local hospitals are preparing to resume elective surgeries, including outpatient same-day procedures, now that they’ve been given the go ahead from the state.
It’s been more than a month since elective procedures have been done in the state, though emergency and urgent surgeries have continued.
State Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said Monday such surgeries and procedures may begin again as long as hospitals remain ready for a potential surge in COVID-19 cases.
“We know that many Pennsylvanians have had to delay important elective procedures and operations, but it was necessary to ensure that our health care system had enough capacity in case it became overwhelmed with patients with COVID-19,” Levine said.
Donna L. Ramusivich, senior vice president at Mon Valley Hospital, said half the COVID-19 patients seen at Mon Valley Hospital have been treated at home, and while there have been times when the Intensive Care Unit had more patients than usual, the hospital was not overwhelmed thanks to the work of some area contractors.
“We were able to convert more rooms in our Intensive Care Unit to negative pressure rooms,” Ramusivich said. “If you open the door, the air flows into the room. You don’t want the germs to come out of the room into the hallway. An operating room is a positive pressure room, with the air flowing out so no germs enter the operating room.”
Ramusivich said the hospital has since seen a decrease in the number of COVID-19 patients and has plenty of capacity to handle a return of elective surgery procedures.
“We’ll be starting next week to have a slow ramp up of elective surgeries at MVH,” said Mary Lou Murt, senior vice president and chief nursing officer. “Everybody will be tested for COVID-19.”
Murt said the COVID-19 testing may be done at the hospital’s drive-through service three to five days prior to the scheduled surgery.
Another protocol change relates to visitors accompanying the surgical patient. They will be asked to stay in their vehicle in the garage or go home until the patient is ready to be discharged. The medical staff will contact the accompanying person with medical updates as the procedure is completed, along with discharge instructions.
“We’re trying to avoid the grouping in the waiting room,” Ramusivich said.
Pediatric patients, dementia patients and those with a disability that would impede understanding may be accompanied by one parent or caregiver.
Murt said the hospital is hearing from some doctors that the parents of pediatric patients are still choosing to delay elective procedures, such as inserting tubes in the children’s ears, out of concerns about COVID-19.
“I want people to know that it’s a safe place to be to have your elective surgery done. I don’t want them to stay away and have the problem they were to see us for to get worse,” Murt said.
“Our whole staff has been educated and everyone has personal protective equipment,” Ramusivich said.
Under the state guidelines for resuming elective surgery, hospitals cannot take on so many surgeries that, if a surge in COVID-19 cases happens, the facility would be forced to prioritize some care over others.
“We’ve been working very closely with our hospital partners to safely ensure Pennsylvanians who need treatment not related to COVID-19 can get it,” Levine said.
Paul Wood, spokesman for UPMC, said the health system, which includes UPMC McKeesport, is pleased with the state’s decision and the guidelines laid out. UPMC was one of the last providers to scale back such surgeries.
Allegheny Health Network providers, which include Jefferson Hospital, will resume surgeries this week, according to spokesman Dan Laurent.
The health system is moving forward “in a careful, safe and structured manner to meet the comprehensive surgical needs of our patients,” many of whom had to postpone procedures in the face of the pandemic, he said.
“We will continue to be mindful of the pandemic’s evolving impact on our region,” Laurent said, “and will always make the safety of our patients and caregivers the highest priority in everything we do to serve the community.”
The Tribune-Review contributed to this story.