Hospitals Re-opening for Elective Procedures

Hospitals in the U.S. are gradually re-opening for elective surgical procedures, helping to address the historic backlog of procedures created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

A report from the Commonwealth Fund concludes that outpatient visits declined by about 60% beginning in mid-march, with general surgery, urology, orthopedics and gastroenterology among the specialty areas most impacted by restrictions on outpatient care. As COVID-19 case volume begins to wane from its peak, the big question is how patients who have had necessary procedures and visits delayed will be rescheduled. The American College of Surgeons is among the physician societies that have presented a roadmap for re-opening hospitals to elective cases, addressing such issues as protecting providers and patients from COVID-19, managing pre-operative and follow-up care and the prioritization of surgical cases in what will likely be a period of substantial demand.

Becker’s Hospital Review has been tracking elective procedure policies by state. As of this writing, 25 states are beginning to open ORs to elective cases, some with conditions (e.g., limiting types of procedures, requiring that COVID-19 care be prioritized, etc.). These states include Colorado, California, New York, Texas and Pennsylvania. We appreciate the care with which the return to performing elective surgical procedures is being implemented and anticipate a strong rebound in outpatient visit volume as patients receive the treatment they need.