St. Joseph Regional Medical Center to Resume Elective and Non-Urgent Surgeries and Procedures – Dailyfly

Process to resume procedures will be gradual, taking extra precautions to ensure safety of patients, employees

LEWISTON, IDAHO St. Joseph Regional Medical Center announced today that it is taking the appropriate steps to safely resume some elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures that were previously rescheduled out of an abundance of caution amid thenovel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The decision to reschedule procedures when clinically appropriate was made in accordance with federal and state guidance, and aimed to help preserve critical resources in the event of a surge of COVID-19 patients in the community. Today, current projections indicate a lower than expected volume of COVID-19 in the region, which means less strain on healthcare resources.

Resuming these important services is an essential component of meeting our communitys health needs and advancing our mission of Making Communities Healthier, said Tim Trottier, Chief Executive Officer of St. Joes. As this work gradually gets underway in our hospital again, we remain committed to conserving critical supplies, being vigilant in our fight against COVID-19, and ensuring that our facility is a safe place for all patients, providers and employees.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, St. Joes has continued to carefully follow guidance from federal, state and local officials, monitor the prevalence of the virus in the community, and evaluate supplies and resources including personal protective equipment like masks, gowns, gloves and goggles.

The decisions about which procedures can safely move forward will be made only after assessing a comprehensive pre-operative checklist and evaluating potential risks. The hospital will initially focus on scheduling patients with more time-sensitive health needs, and those decisions will be made in partnership with the attending provider. Patients who are scheduled and approved for procedures must meet specific requirements, including passing standard COVID-19 screenings. Surgical patients also will be asked to practice safer at home behaviors for seven days prior to their procedure to minimize potential exposure; check their temperature and report temperatures over 100F to their provider; practice good hand hygiene and undergo testing for COVID-19.

Patients awaiting information about their previously postponed procedure can expect to hear from their provider or providers office to discuss rescheduling at the appropriate time.

St. Joes will continue to screen and mask everyone who enters the facility and maintain a zero-visitor protocol for the foreseeable future. These important measures have had a positive impact on ensuring a safe environment, and they also are aligned with the federal governments guidelines. Additionally, the facility has implemented new processes and procedures to further protect the health of patients, providers and employees. Visitsjrmc.orgto learn more.

As a reminder, if you are having a medical emergency, you should call 911 or go directly to the emergency room.

About St. Joseph Regional Medical Center

St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, part of LifePoint Health, is the largest full-service regional medical center between Boise and Spokane providing advanced-level specialty healthcare. Our commitment to providing safe, exceptional care for our community means having highly skilled and certified physicians on our healthcare team and a quality facility with the latest in medical technology. St. Joseph has more than 120 board-certified physicians and providers, active in both primary care and specialty practice. We seek to enhance the quality of life of the citizens we serve in our local communities through the promotion of health, by assuring compassion, sharing knowledge, providing technology, and communicating a love for what we do. St. Joseph Regional Medical Center Making Communities Healthier by Continuing the Healing Ministry of Jesus.

For more information about St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, visitsjrmc.org. For more information about LifePoint Health, visitLifePointHealth.net

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St. Joseph Regional Medical Center to Resume Elective and Non-Urgent Surgeries and Procedures - Dailyfly