On Monday, CHI Health St. Elizabeth and CHI Health Nebraska Heart will resume elective procedures while following the governor’s directed health measures and guidelines set down by CHI Health.
Both hospitals must comply with the following requirements:
– Maintain 30 percent bed availability
– Maintain 30 percent ICU beds available
– Must have 30 percent of ventilator supply available
– Must have two weeks supply of PPE
In addition to hospital requirements, any patient undergoing an elective procedure must be tested for COVID-19 three days or less prior to surgery. This will assure the patient is not contagious at the time of surgery and will also eliminate the use of additional PPE, allowing the preservation for those caring for COVID-19 patients.
In Lincoln, patients can receive a COVID-19 test at Lincoln North Star High School seven days a week with an order from their surgeon or physician. CHI Health St. Elizabeth and CHI Health Nebraska Heart must have the patient’s results by Noon one day prior to the surgery. The procedure will be cancelled if the test results are not available or if the patient has a positive COVID-19 test result.
These requirements are put in place to ensure patients, staff and physicians are safe as surgical operations resume at CHI Health hospitals. Surgeons will work to prioritize patients that are low risk for COVID-19 (those who have had no symptoms for 14 days).
“While they may not be considered urgent, we know many patients in our community have been putting off procedures that are important for their overall health and wellbeing,” said Derek Vance, president of CHI Health St. Elizabeth and CHI Health Nebraska Heart. “We want those patients to know our surgeons and hospital staff stand ready to care for them in a safe environment.”