Due to sustained high patient volumes in its medical centers and significant and increasing COVID-19 activity resulting in hospitalization in the community, St. Luke’s Health System announced a temporary pause in certain elective surgeries and procedures—specifically, ones that require an overnight hospital stay. It is a reactivation of a policy, the health system says, utilized earlier in the pandemic that assists in managing volumes and resources.
This pause does not impact elective outpatient surgeries or procedures that do not require an overnight hospital stay. St. Luke’s will continue to monitor our capacity for care and adjust as appropriate.
“We strongly encourage and are appealing to individuals to take measures to decrease the spread of COVID-19, including vaccinations for those who are eligible and wearing a mask indoors whenever you are around individuals who are not part of your immediate family. Providing care to all who need it is our priority and our mission; we hope everyone will take the necessary steps,” Dr. Jim Souza, chief physician executive at St. Luke’s Health System, said.
As with prior surges, St. Luke’s will dial up and down on services dependent on overall capacity for care with safety for our patients and staff being the number one priority.