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Cody Regional Health has decided to postpone all elective surgeries and procedures at its clinics and hospital effective Thursday, March 19

CODY, WY (March 18, 2020) – CRH said the effort will protect patients and medical professionals, as well as preserve supplies in anticipation of the influx of COVID‐19 to the communities it serves. Elective surgeries and procedures are considered to be non‐urgent, non‐time sensitive planned surgery such as a hip replacement and a routine colonoscopy. While Cody Regional Health does not have a specific timeline on when it will allow elective surgeries and procedures again, it’s following the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and the Wyoming Department of Health, which have recommended a six to eight‐week pause. Our Incident Command Team will revisit this after April 1, 2020.

Additional service changes include:

  • Orthopedics is reducing to essential appointments only. This includes fractures, post-operation appointments for those patients who have just had surgery recently or are they are having issues, and traumatic injuries (i.e. – bicep tendon tear). Walk‐ins are discouraged unless truly emergent such as fractures or lacerations.
  • All elective procedures for Radiology and Cardiac Catheterization procedures will be canceled. The exception is for critical diagnostic testing/procedures such as diagnostic mammograms, diagnostic colonoscopy, STEMI or hospital patients needing a heart catheterization.
  • Cedar Mountain Center Rehabilitation services will be canceled and Behavioral Health Professionals will work to develop telemedicine opportunities for patients. Counselors are equipped to help with anxiety reduction and stress management.
  • Pediatric clinic visits are reduced to only those well visits for newborns up to four months old. Parents are asked to call the Pediatric Clinic at 307‐578‐2890, in advance, as walk‐in visits are discouraged.
  • Internal Medicine will be asked to only schedule necessary essential visits with patients and ask all other patients to reschedule appointments after April 1st. Appointments that should be rescheduled include annual physicals.
  • Women’s Health Services recommend rescheduling annual physicals and routine GYN visits. OB visits will be evaluated as necessary please call 307‐578‐2770.
  • To reduce traffic in the hospital environment those needing assistance with patient financial services or to pay bills please use the following methods:

“Managing our local health care’s surge capacity and strategic supplies is paramount at this time of uncertainty,” said Doug McMillan, CEO of Cody Regional Health. Keith Ungrund, CNO at Cody Regional Health, added, “We need to keep our health care workers healthy and able to take care of our most critically ill patients.”

According to the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams, their recommendation is to discontinue elective procedures and failure to do so will result in those health systems being the last to get their supplies restocked through the strategic national stockpile of medical supplies. He added, “We’re hopeful that if we lean into this, then maybe in about six to eight weeks, we’ll get over the majority of the pain, we will have flattened the curve, and we can start to slowly get back to life as normal.”

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

  1. If you’re experiencing any symptoms, isolate at home and contact the Emergency Department 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