In a new Executive Order announced by Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb on Monday, April 20, 2020, hospitals across the state are now allowed to begin evaluating when and how to safely resume performing elective surgeries for their patients. In the midst of responding to COVID-19, hospitals had been restricted from performing these elective surgeries in an effort to maintain a capacity and supplies of personal protective equipment (PPE) to be used as they planned for a surge of COVID-19 positive patients. Today (April 24) Governor Holcomb signed a new Executive Order allowing for elective surgeries to be resumed, as warranted by the circumstances evaluated by each hospital or healthcare system.
Logansport Memorial Hospital's policy on elective surgeries was revised for the COVID-19 environment to follow the Governor's original Executive Order 20-13 from March 30, 2020. LMH physicians and surgeons are currently consulting and determining on a case-by-case basis whether appointments, surgeries, and procedures should take place or be postponed for patients. Surgeries and procedures have been scheduled based on the physician's decision about the potential for any negative impacts on a patient's overall health and quality of life.
Some of the hospitals around parts of the state have recently begun to see a declining trend of COVID-19 positive cases, which led them to consider resuming the surgeries that had been previously postponed. In Cass County specifically, we have not yet seen a declining trend - in fact, there has recently been a steadily increasing number of positive COVID-19 cases.
The physicians, leadership, and staff at Logansport Memorial Hospital are all working closely together and with the Cass County Health Department to monitor and respond to the COVID-19 outbreak locally. Until Cass County sees a consistent, declining trend in local COVID-19 positive cases, we will not resume scheduling elective surgeries or procedures. We are evaluating all possible safety precautions and recommendations provided by organizations like the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the American College of Surgeons, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists as we consider when it is safe to resume scheduling these surgeries and procedures.
The safety of our patients is always a top priority. Logansport Memorial Hospital will be prepared and ready to resume performing your elective surgeries and procedures, as soon as we believe it is safe to do so.
If you have questions about our policy or about when you may be able to reschedule your postponed procedure, please call your physician's office. Thank you for your patience and continued understanding during this unprecedented time.
