Preparing for treatment:
Governor orders hospitals to curb nonessential treatment
Somebody call the doctor.
No, really.
Some New Mexico hospitals have announced postponements for elective surgeries and other treatments, and they’re also rolling out ways to virtually visit a doctor’s office in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
On Wednesday, the Governor’s Office sent out an order to hospitals and other health care facilities to prohibit nonessential services, procedures and services, which takes effect Friday. Pre- and postnatal care will still be provided, as will any emergency surgery that threatens a patient’s life or their ability to use an extremity.
Officials at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center said patients are able to have telephone appointments with providers now and will be able to schedule video chats later this week.
Dr. Kristine Parke, a family medicine and primary care specialist, said that as the system gets off the ground, it will be accessible through the Christus St. Vincent MyChart platform.
“I did a trial last week with a patient, and we were able to click on the video icon, and there was the patient,” she said. “It’s a way to respect the social distance but also provide patients with compassionate care.”
She said that in the next two weeks, the hospital hopes to schedule new patients, or have people schedule their own visits through MyChart. She said the hospital’s psychiatry and psychology departments will provide counseling on the platform, and other specialties will be available for follow-up appointments and new patients.
Dr. Jose Sterling, a trauma surgeon at Christus St. Vincent, said doctors are working to reschedule — not cancel — certain treatments, as long as the postponement doesn’t harm the patient. He said some examples are minor hernia operations or joint replacements.
“We’re trying to ask our patients if they can hold on a little bit longer,” Sterling said. “The risk of having providers or adjunct staff getting sick is a risk we don’t want to take until we figure out what the penetration of the virus in the community looks like.”
He said surgeries for cancer, emergencies and other major procedures are going ahead. As with other aspects of hospital treatment, screening measures are in place for both employees and patients.
Christus St. Vincent also has released temporary restrictions that limit visitations to end-oflife, birth and special needs.
Last week, Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center announced it would restrict all visitors. Only one visitor per patient would be allowed for children, maternity units or patients receiving endof-life care. In a news release, the hospital said it would screen and escort all visitors to the appropriate patient area.
Amanda Schoenberg, a spokeswoman for Presbyterian Santa Fe Medical Center, said in an email Tuesday the hospital was working to postpone some elective procedures such as colonoscopies, bariatric surgeries and total joint replacements.
“Postponing elective procedures will allow critical staff to be redeployed to other areas of our hospital and minimize the use of [personal protective equipment],” Schoenberg said.
In a news release Wednesday, Presbyterian said it would transition from in-person visits to telephone or video visits for specialty clinics and outpatient services. Pediatric vaccinations would be held at a drive-thru location.
Mark Rudi, a spokesman for the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque said the hospital opened up virtual visits with some providers and contacted patients to determine if their elective surgeries could be rescheduled.