INDIANAPOLIS — St. Vincent Hospital Indianapolis announced Sunday that all elective non-urgent surgeries will be canceled effective Tuesday, March 17.
As the number of COVID-19 cases increases across the nation, businesses and hospitals are taking precautions necessary to combat the virus.
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To meet the health needs of potential COVID-19 patients and protect against expossure, St. Vincent said the hospital needs to ensure that resources are readily available.
Non-urgent procedures that would require the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), which includes non-critical cardiac or neursurgical procedures, will be rescheduled. ElectI've procedures that will require occupying an inpatient bed, which incudes joint replacements and electrophysiology procedures, will be canceled as well.
The hospital's visitor restrictions have enhanced, as well. They are as follows:
- All patients and visitors are directed to enter through Door 1 only.
- All patients at the women's hospital will enter the main entrance.
- All patients and visitors will be screened for the presence of fever and respiratory symptoms.
- Visitors will be screened to identify if they currently reside in a county where positive cases have been identified.
- Any symptomatic patients will be masked and quarantined.
- All operating room employees, including anesthesiologists and surgeons, will be screened starting Monday, March 16, 2020, in the OR.
- Children 17 and younger will be permitted to have one parent or guardian with them post procedure.
- Patients having outpatient procedures will be allowed one visitor to stay until discharge.
- Attempts will be made to allow for virtual communication between patient and family prior to family departure.
- Once the procedure is completed and the physician has spoken to the designee, the visitor will need to exit the hospital.
