As you are aware, Kettering Health recently deployed a multidisciplinary provider team and implemented a process to review cases and help prioritize patient needs, with a focus on elective procedures requiring a hospital bed. Thanks to our providers and their compliance with this initiative, combined with a recent decrease in the number of patients using COVID beds, we will resume, on a limited basis, certain elective surgeries and procedures requiring a hospital bed beginning on January 10, 2022.
The ability to resume elective surgeries and procedures will be a function of staff and bed availability, among several factors, and may likely vary by campus. In scheduling surgeries and procedures, we will still be guided by the following criteria:
- Threat to patient’s life or limb if the surgery or procedure is not performed
- Threat of permanent dysfunction of an extremity or organ system if the surgery or procedure is postponed
- Risk of metastasis or progression of staging if the surgery or procedure is postponed
- Risk of rapidly worsening to severe symptoms, meaning the surgery/procedure is time sensitive, if the surgery or procedure is postponed
- Other considerations that might be relevant in evaluating whether the surgery or procedure is essential
We will utilize near-term availability to schedule as many surgeries and procedures as possible. This policy and associated scheduling process will remain in effect until indicated otherwise. Postponed surgeries/procedures may still be appealed by a physician by submitting the appeal form linked here and justification via email to KHCasereview@ketteringhealth.org.
Thank you for your continued support and collaboration.