Ballad Health provides elective surgery and testing updates
Published 3:32 pm Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Elective and non emergent surgeries will begin on Monday, May 4.
“Once we initiate our non emergent cases, we are taking a very careful approach with this, it is a phased approach,” said Eric Deaton, COO for Ballad. “The decision to resume procedures was made very carefully.”
The recommendations and decisions to resume have been done so by a recovery task force arranged by Ballad that includes physicians.
In reopening elective procedures, there are recommendations in place for doing so. These were outlined by Dr. Beth Jackson, who is assisting in leading the task force, during the briefing.
“Our process here with Ballad is that we are going to slowly start allowing cases to reopen in the 11 facilities that do perform these elective cases,” she said. “This will be a stepwise progression that will be limited to certain cases in the first few weeks so we can ensure these patients can go in and be done the same day. Then we will expand these as we progress.”
Jackson said patients will be given COVID-19 testing prior to surgery to ensure safety. Visitors are also going to be limited. PPE amounts, and other factors will also be taken into consideration.
Alan Levine, CEO of Ballad, said there are around 5,000 backlogged elective surgeries as of now that need to be done, however he said this is not as bad as it sounds.
In addition to surgeries, Ballad touched on testing. Anyone who is wanting a test may now have access to one without having symptoms or prior exposure to the virus. Those wishing to get this test may do so by calling Ballad’s Nurse Connect where they will answer questions for another study Ballad is doing, and then be given the location of where to go for testing. There is a fee of $52 for the test, however insurance being billed and their charity policy are factors. Levine said results should be back in around 24 hours or so for these tests. This is not rapid testing, which is being saved for those who are critically ill and medical personnel.
There are currently 12 patients in Ballad facilities receiving care for the virus, and eight under investigation. There are 300 beds available, 200 ventilators and other resources being said as available.
To contact Ballad’s Nurse Connect, you can call 833-822-5523. For the latest updates, go to www.balladhealth.org.
