CINCINNATI (WKRC) - Healthcare providers at St. Elizabeth Healthcare have reopened their schedules for outpatient and ambulatory surgeries and invasive procedures now that Gov. Andy Beshear’s Healthy at Work plan has given the green light.
With the exception of St. Elizabeth Ft. Thomas Hospital, all St. Elizabeth locations where elective procedures are performed opened for business on May 6, 2020, when the second part of Phase 1 of Healthy at Work took effect.
This is welcome news for the many people who’ve been waiting to undergo important albeit nonemergency procedures.
“‘Elective’ doesn’t always mean optional or voluntary,” said Dr. Heidi Murley, a surgeon with St. Elizabeth Physicians. “Unlike emergency surgery, which must happen immediately, elective procedures can be safely scheduled in advance. For example, most cancer surgery is elective surgery, but these procedures are medically necessary and should occur in a timely fashion.”
“Some of our orthopaedic surgery patients have had chronic pain because of their conditions, and now that elective procedures are resuming, these patients can look forward to living pain-free," added Dr. Murley. "However, our surgeons are aware that some patients may be afraid to schedule elective procedures.”
Dr. Murley’s message to everyone is simple: “We’re open for elective surgery and procedures, and we’ve taken extra precautions to safely provide the care our patients need.”
One key benefit St. Elizabeth has that other hospital systems may not have is the ability to house all patients with the coronavirus at one dedicated hospital unit, under specialized care. No other St. Elizabeth hospital is admitting patients known to have the virus.
St. Elizabeth is also keeping all its extra COVID-19 safety measures in place to further ensure patient safety. To learn more about St. Elizabeth’s COVID-19 safety measures and how the system is safely reopening primary care, specialty care services, and elective procedures, go to stelizabeth.com/openandsafe.
Information courtesy St. Elizabeth Healthcare