Due to increasing COVID volumes, Kettering Health has deployed a multidisciplinary provider team reviewing cases to help prioritize patient needs, with focus on reviewing elective procedures requiring a hospital bed. We are postponing elective surgeries and procedures requiring a hospital bed that are scheduled to take place January 5 through January 13, 2022, unless one of the criteria set forth below is met. This policy will apply to the OR, Cath lab, Interventional Radiology, and Endoscopy:
- 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 continue monitoring on a daily basis and determine postponement of elective procedures needing a hospital bed 1 week prior to their scheduled date. This policy and associated postponement will remain in effect until indicated otherwise.
We are asking our physician offices to contact patients who have elective surgeries or procedures that will require a hospital bed scheduled after January 4, to let them know their surgery/procedure has been postponed and that they will be contacted as soon as possible to reschedule.
We are also asking that physicians delay adding elective surgeries/procedures requiring a hospital bed for the next two weeks, unless one of the aforementioned criteria are met.
Postponed surgeries/procedures may be appealed by a physician by submitting the linked appeal form and justification via email to KHCasereview@ketteringhealth.org.