Intermountain Healthcare postponing all non-urgent surgeries

Intermountain Medical Center. Photo: Courtesy: Intermountain Healthcare

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah, Sept. 10, 2021 (Gephardt Daily) — Intermountain Healthcare officials announced Friday all non-urgent surgeries are being postponed due to a spike in COVID-19 cases.

“Cases have continued to significantly increase in Utah — resulting in consistently high volumes in hospital ICUs and acute care units across our system,” said a news release. “Our teams are overwhelmed and we’re running out of staffed beds for patients. We are at a critical point where we must take further action to support our teams and the safety of our patients.”

Intermountain is postponing all non-urgent surgeries and procedures requiring a hospital admission or postoperative inpatient monitoring in our trauma and community hospitals. This postponement starts Sept. 15 and will last for several weeks.

“We will evaluate the situation on an ongoing basis,” the news release said. “When feasible, consolidation of remaining surgeries or procedures may take place to help free up surgical teams to be redeployed in our hospitals. Non-urgent surgeries and procedures are those that can be reasonably postponed and do not involve a medical emergency.”

The trauma and community hospitals where all non-urgent surgeries and procedures requiring a hospital admission will be postponed are Logan Regional, McKay-Dee in Ogden, Layton, LDS Hospital in Salt Lake City, Intermountain Medical Center in Murray, Riverton Alta View in Sandy, Park City, American Fork, Utah Valley in Provo, Spanish Fork, Cedar City and St. George.

Rural hospitals, the Orthopedic Specialty Hospital, and Primary Children’s will continue to do non-urgent surgeries and procedures requiring a hospital admission. These facilities may postpone some cases as needed depending on circumstances.

“While this pause in surgeries may create challenges for some patients, it is a necessary and appropriate step given the sharp spike in hospitalizations for patients with COVID-19,” the news release said. “Any patient affected by the postponements will be directly notified by telephone. Postponed procedures will be rescheduled after the surge subsides. Intermountain will continue to provide care for urgent situations and emergency patients as it always does.”

Gephardt Daily will have more on this developing story as information is made available.

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