All Patients Address Regarding Postponed Surgeries

Since March 19, 2020, Cody Regional Health has elected to postpone elective surgeries until further notice and this has affected many of our great patients. Why has this been done and why was this important to do?

1. Surgeries require use of supplies such as masks, gowns, gloves, and medications that sedate patients. While we have a current supply of these items, they may become limited if we have a large number of Covid-19 patients who may have to be hospitalized and possibly placed on a ventilator. While on a ventilator, a Covid-19 patient will require sedation medications, not just for hours, but also potentially for weeks! That will potentially take a lot of medication, so we have to save up, just in case.
2. When you have surgery, your body goes into a stress response. This puts you at an increased risk of having a bad reaction to Covid-19 should you become infected.
3. When you are in surgery, you are typically in the hospital where people infected with Covid-19 may also be being treated. Though every attempt would be made to keep Covid-19 infected patients away from other patients, there is still an increased risk of catching the infection if you are hospitalized.
4. The federal government will only send new shipments of life-saving supplies to hospitals who comply with the request to postpone elective surgeries. If we do not follow this recommendation, we at CRH are severely limiting our ability to give you and your family the best care possible during this Covid-19 infection outbreak.

We are sorry that you are unable to get the surgery you may need at this time, but please know that things are changing daily and CRH will try to get you back onto the surgery schedule as soon as we can. We all wish that Covid-19 would just go away, but in the meantime, for YOUR safety and the benefit of the community at large, elective surgeries have been postponed.

CRH again advises everyone to practice the four ways to minimize the spread of COVID-19:

1. If you are experiencing any symptoms, isolate at home and contact the Call Center Screening line at 307-578-2000 or connect with your health care provider.
2. Practice appropriate self-distancing, staying home when possible and maintaining a six- foot separation from others when in a group.
3. Cover your cough and sneeze at all times.
4. Practice appropriate hand washing for 20 seconds or more, at all times.

All of these actions are for the health and safety of patients, visitors and staff and a precautionary step. For further information about COVID-19, please call 307.527.1870 or visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html