Hospitals nationwide are again delaying nonurgent surgeries amid rising COVID-19 cases and the global spread of the omicron variant.
As they were during previous spikes, ASCs are being called on to handle surgeries that hospitals can't. Most ASCs are remaining operational and some are expanding operating space.
"As COVID-19 surges, we know our patients will still have non-COVID-19 related healthcare needs and we will continue to be there to care for them," Alex Andrade, vice president of ancillary operations at Downers Grove, Ill.-based DuPage Medical Group told Becker's in March "As hospitals in our communities may need to eliminate elective procedures to decompress the healthcare system and reallocate resources towards inpatient care, our outpatient model allows us to help fill the gaps."
Here are hospitals and health systems delaying nonurgent surgeries:
This is not a comprehensive list. If a health system or hospital is postponing surgeries in your state, please email pnewitt@beckershealthcare.com.
1. Cleveland-based hospitals Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth and University Hospitals announced Dec. 3 that some surgeries will be postponed due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the region. Ninety percent of the COVID-19 patients in ICUs are unvaccinated, according to the hospitals.
2. Hospitals in New York are limiting nonemergency procedures based on guidance from Gov. Kathy Hochul and the state's health department as COVID-19 hospitalizations spike in some areas. The governor issued an executive order Dec. 3 for hospitals to scale back procedures when possible after some hospitals reported "limited capacity."
3. Omaha-based Nebraska Medical Center will limit surgeries and expand its ASC capacity amid spiking COVID-19 cases, local ABC affiliate KETV7 reported Dec. 7. Beginning Dec. 13, surgeries that can wait four to 12 weeks or longer will be reviewed and potentially canceled at the Hixson-Lied Center and C.L. Werner Hospital, both in Omaha, the hospital told KETV.
4. Massachusetts hospitals began delaying some nonurgent scheduled procedures Nov. 29 because of staffing shortages and longer patient hospital stays amid rising COVID-19 cases, according to the New York Times. An order issued by state health authorities applies to hospitals that have less than 15 percent of beds available and to scheduled procedures that can be delayed without having a negative effect on patients’ health.
5. Newark, Del.-based ChristianaCare is temporarily postponing surgeries and other procedures that are "not time sensitive." The facility plans to continue surgeries for those already in the hospital, emergency care and surgeries where patients are discharged after six hours.
6. Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System is canceling nonurgent surgeries at some hospitals across the state. CEO Bob Riney told WILX10 decisions are made at individual hospitals and the system does not plan to make changes to systemwide scheduling at this time.
7. Louis Stokes VA Medical Center in Cleveland is temporarily postponing nonurgen surgeries requiring inpatient care.
8. Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Mich., is postponing all nonurgent surgeries.
9. Omaha-based Nebraska Medicine will begin reviewing nonurgent surgeries Dec. 10. Surgeries that can wait four to 12 weeks without a substantial change in outcome will be rescheduled at a later date. Surgeries that can wait longer than 12 weeks will be postponed and reassessed in 12 weeks for rescheduling.
10. Southwest General Health Center in Middleburg Heights, Ohio, is reviewing all nonurgent surgeries requiring an inpatient bed on a case-by-case basis and rescheduling as needed.
11. Cheshire Medical Center in Keene, N.H., is postponing nonurgent surgeries requiring inpatient hospital admission.
12. Maine Medical Center in Portland is postponing 50 percent of nonurgent surgeries as the hospital converts six operating rooms to make room for more patients.
13. St. Lawrence Health in Potsdam, N.Y., is pausing most nonurgent inpatient surgeries, the health system said Dec. 7.
14. Pittsburgh-based Allegheny Health Network is limiting nonurgent procedures to preserve its operating room capacity, the Beaver County Times reported Dec. 10.
15. Mercy Cedar Rapids (Iowa) and Cedar Rapids, Iowa-based St. Luke's Hospital postponed nonurgent surgeries effective Dec. 16, The Gazette reported.
16. Phoenix-based Valleywise Health Network is postponing nonurgent surgeries, Fronteras reported Dec. 13.
17. Columbus-based Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center will postpone nonurgent surgeries that require overnight stays beginning Jan. 3.
18. Summa Health in Akron, Ohio, has temporarily paused all nonurgent procedures that require an overnight stay, local ABC News affiliate News 5 Cleveland reported Dec. 20.
19. TidalHealth is temporarily suspending nonurgent surgeries that would require an overnight stay at Salisbury, Md.-based TidalHealth Peninsula Regional and Seaford, Del.-based TidalHealth Nanticoke starting Dec. 27.
20. Batesville, Ind.-based Margaret Mary Health will be postponing nonurgent procedures until Jan. 10, the system said Dec. 21.