The Burden of Prioritization Decisions
Resuming elective surgery is on the horizon for many facilities and while this is the beginning of being able to provide much needed care for so many, it brings with it an added burden on healthcare providers. According to the authors of a recent article in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, there […]
Elective Surgical Procedure Guidelines for COVID-19 Reality
Healthcare professionals around the globe all agree that “COVID-19 is here to stay”. The simple reality is that until testing can be expanded substantially, we all live in the shadow that this disease now casts and its impact also now shapes almost all of the decisions we make. In the guidance for resuming elective surgeries […]
What is Considered Elective Surgery? Resuming Elective Surgeries Following the COVID-19 Crisis
On April 17th, the American College of Surgeons released basic guidance to help health care facilities begin to prepare for resuming elective surgery. It’s important to clarify what “elective” surgery actually means, as Vivek N. Prachand, MD, FACS, explains. “Although we talk about these operations as being ‘elective’, that doesn’t mean they are optional. It’s […]
Halting Elective Surgeries Due to the COVID-19 Crisis
On March 13th, the American College of Surgeons recommended that hospitals consider postponing elective, non-urgent surgical procedures in an effort to prepare for the influx of COVID-19 patients. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services followed suit on March 17th. A move that naturally garnered praise from the AMA. AMA President Patrice A. Harris, MD, […]