CMS Administrator Seema Verma urged all hospitals Wednesday to comply with the American College of Surgeons' recommendation to cancel nonessential and non-urgent elective procedures. The following health systems issued alerts Wednesday regarding changes to elective and non-essential procedures:
- Augusta (Ga.) University Health is canceling all elective surgeries from March 18 through April 5, according to a report from WJBF.
- Beaumont Health in Royal Oak, Mich., issued notice Wednesday that it would begin "limiting or reducing nonessential surgeries later this week." No date of effect was specified.
- Baptist Health Richmond (Ky.) has suspended elective procedures starting Thursday, according to the Richmond Register.
- Clearwater, Fla.-based BayCare Health System postponed elective surgical procedures effective Friday through April 30 at its hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. BayCare will determine when to begin rescheduling appointments at a later date.
- Geisinger in Danville, Pa., placed a two-week hold on elective and nonurgent procedures effective March 19.
- Bloomington, Minn.-based HealthPartners suspended all elective surgeries, procedures and nonessential radiology services through April 3. The system will not schedule surgeries until after April 27.
- NCH Healthcare System in Naples, Fla., is canceling all elective surgeries effective Thursday. Each physician is responsible for sharing this communication with their patients.
- Northwestern Medicine in Chicago is rescheduling nontime sensitive surgical and other procedures to a time when such delay will not impact their clinical outcome, per a system statement issued Wednesday. The system is in the process of reaching out to patients to reschedule accordingly.
- Hershey, Pa.-based Penn State Health will suspend nonessential and elective surgeries across its two hospitals starting March 19. Surgeons began conducting reviews of their surgical cases and OR schedules on March 16 with intent to cancel procedures.
- Duluth, Minn.-based St. Luke’s is rescheduling "many" routine clinic appointments, elective surgeries and procedures, beginning Thursday through April 1. St. Luke’s will contact patients to let them know if their appointment is rescheduled.
- On Friday, Arlington, Texas-based Texas Health Resources announced the postponement of elective and non-essential surgeries until further notice. Patients facing postponed procedures will be notified by their physicians with assistance from the system.
The systems that made updates Wednesday joined those who had issued modifications to surgery policies earlier in the week.