Orlando Health prepares to reopen elective surgeries – WESH 2 Orlando

WADE THROUGH A BACKLOG OF SURGERIES PUT ON HOLD DURING TH SANIKA: TO DATE, ORLANDO HEALTH SAYS THEIR HOSPITALS HAVE TREATED 443 COVID-19 PATIENTS BUT THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM SAYS IT'S LOST MILLIONS OF DOLLARS SINCE THE GOVERNOR'S EXECUTIVE ORDER FORCED ELECTIVE SURGERIES ACROSS THE STATE TO BE CANCELED OR POSTPONED. IT'S A HUGE FINANCIAL BLOW. >> ELECTIVE MOST CASES MEANS IT'S ELECTIVE WHEN YOU SCHEDULE IT BUT IT'S USUALLY SOMETHING YOU NEED TO GET DON SANIKA: DR. SUNIL DESAI POINTS TO A REAL EXAMPLE -- A 10 YEAR OLD GIRL WHO TRAVELED TO BREVARD'S PEDIATRIC FACILITY FOR A SURGERY TO ADDRESS EPILEPSY. DR. DESAI: ALTHOUGH THE SURGERY WAS SCHEDULED AT THEIR DISCRETION, IN OTHER WOR ELECTIVE, THE PROBLEM WITH NOT DOING SURGERY IS THAT THIS CHILD WOULD CONTINUALLY HAD SEIZURES. SANIKA: ACCORDING TO A JOINT STATEMENT ON THE ROADMAP TO RESUME ELECTIVE SURGERIES RELEASED BY THE AMERICAN COLLE OF SURGEONS, FACILITIES SHOULD ESTABLISH A PRIORITIZATION POLICY COMMITTEE MADE UP OF SURGEONS, ANESTHESIOLOGISTS, AND NURSES, TO DETERMINE WHICH ELECTIVE SURGERIES ARE PRIORITIES. TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ALREADY-SCHEDULED CASES AND SPECIALIZATIONS LIKE CANCER, ORGAN TRANSPLANTS, CARDIAC, TRAUMA. DR. DESAI SAYS THEY'LL ALSO BE PREPARING FOR A POTENTIAL SPIKE IN COVID-19 CASES AS RESTRICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE ARE LIFTED. DR. DESAI: WE'VE GOT TREMENDOUS BED CAPACITY, ICU CAPACITY STAFFING AVAILABILITY BOTH IN THE ICU NURSING RESPIRATORY THERAPY. WE ARE VERY VIGILANT TO THE FACT OF THREE THINGS IN CENTR FLORIDA, AND AGAIN HOW THEY OP IF YOU WILL -- THE AIRPORT, THE SCHOOLS, AND THE ATTRACT

Orlando Health prepares to reopen elective surgeries

Updated: 10:52 PM EDT Apr 29, 2020

Orlando Health says their hospitals have treated 443 COVID-19 patients, but the hospital system says it's lost many millions of dollars since the Governor's executive order forced elective surgeries across the state to be canceled or postponed.It's a huge financial blow that they'll start climbing out of on May 4."Elective in most cases means just means it's elective when you schedule it but it's usually something that needs to get done," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.Dr. Sunil Desai points to a real example of a 10-year-old girl who traveled to Brevard's Pediatric facility for a surgery to address epilepsy."Although the surgery was scheduled at their discretion, in other words elective, the problem with not doing surgery is that this child would continually had seizures, Desai said.According to a Joint Statement on the road map to resume elective surgeries released by the American College of Surgeons, facilities should establish a prioritization policy committee made up of surgeons, anestheticians, and nurses to determine which elective surgeries are priorities, taking into consideration already-scheduled cases and specializations like cancer, organ transplants, cardiac, trauma.Dr. Desai says they'll also be preparing for a potential spike in COVID-19 cases as restrictions across the state are lifted."We've got tremendous bed capacity, ICU capacity, staffing availability both in the ICU nursing respiratory therapy, Desai said. "We are very vigilant to the fact of three things in Central Florida and again how they open if you will: the airport, the schools, and the attractions."

Orlando Health says their hospitals have treated 443 COVID-19 patients, but the hospital system says it's lost many millions of dollars since the Governor's executive order forced elective surgeries across the state to be canceled or postponed.

It's a huge financial blow that they'll start climbing out of on May 4.

"Elective in most cases means just means it's elective when you schedule it but it's usually something that needs to get done," Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

Dr. Sunil Desai points to a real example of a 10-year-old girl who traveled to Brevard's Pediatric facility for a surgery to address epilepsy.

"Although the surgery was scheduled at their discretion, in other words elective, the problem with not doing surgery is that this child would continually had seizures, Desai said.

According to a Joint Statement on the road map to resume elective surgeries released by the American College of Surgeons, facilities should establish a prioritization policy committee made up of surgeons, anestheticians, and nurses to determine which elective surgeries are priorities, taking into consideration already-scheduled cases and specializations like cancer, organ transplants, cardiac, trauma.

Dr. Desai says they'll also be preparing for a potential spike in COVID-19 cases as restrictions across the state are lifted.

"We've got tremendous bed capacity, ICU capacity, staffing availability both in the ICU nursing respiratory therapy, Desai said. "We are very vigilant to the fact of three things in Central Florida and again how they open if you will: the airport, the schools, and the attractions."

Read the original:
Orlando Health prepares to reopen elective surgeries - WESH 2 Orlando