Riverside Health System today announced that it is suspending elective surgeries and procedures until further notice following a public health emergency order issued by Virginia Governor Ralph Northam. These steps are being taken to preserve medical beds, critical equipment and supplies and to further protect patients and staff from exposure to novel coronavirus COVID-19.
Riverside team members are contacting all impacted patients to advise them of the situation and provide guidance on how they can make future arrangements for their elective surgery.
Per Governor Northam’s order, this measure does not apply to any procedure if the delay would cause harm to a patient. The order also does not apply to outpatient visits in hospital-based clinics, family planning services, or emergency needs.
The order also states that licensed inpatient and outpatient surgical hospitals, free-standing endoscopy centers, physicians’ offices, and dental, orthodontic, and endodontic offices may perform any procedure or surgery that if delayed or canceled would result in the patient’s condition worsening.
The full text of Order of Public Health Emergency Two is available on the Virginia Governor’s website.
For more information about COVID-19 and Riverside Health System’s response, visit riversideonline.com/covid-19.
Published: March 26, 2020