Many Florida hospitals that reopened for non-emergency procedures are trying to convince patients to return.

Although many Florida hospitals reopened for non-emergency medical procedures on Monday, they found themselves in an unanticipated position: convincing patients to return.

After six weeks of hearing that hospitals are ground zero for the COVID-19 crisis, some South Floridians say they are too afraid of catching the virus to go to one.

Florida’s hospitals held news conferences, put out newsletters, wrote op-ed pieces — even rolled out a red carpet Monday to encourage people to schedule the surgeries or medical treatments they had postponed

“We’re trying to get the message out there that it’s safe to go to a hospital,” said Crystal Stickle, acting president of the Florida Hospital Association.

Gov. Ron DeSantis had banned hospitals from elective surgeries and non-emergency procedures on March 20 to conserve personal protective gear and hospital beds for people infected with the novel coronavirus. With that order lifted, most hospitals are easing into services, starting first with operations that don’t require an overnight stay and building over time to major surgeries that require more lengthy recoveries.

Richard White of Boynton Beach needs a hip replacement but remains too fearful to schedule the operation. “I don’t want to take a chance,” White said. “I’m willing to suffer a little longer rather than put myself in danger.”

Hospitals want — and need — to convince patients like White that a stay won’t expose them to the virus. A new report by the national consulting firm Crowe shows

Florida health systems have suffered nearly a 50% drop in patient volume in March and April. To gain trust and keep it, hospital administrators recognize they must re-open safely.

Memorial Healthcare held a news conference Monday to communicate its plan: separating coronavirus patients, banning visitors, reconfiguring waiting areas to allow for social distancing, testing everyone for the virus in a pre-admission center, and requiring every person in the hospitals to wear masks.

“We are doing everything to protect our environment,” said Dr. Stanley Marks, chief medical officer for Memorial Healthcare System. “People have medical issues and none of them go away because of a pandemic. It’s time to get back to treating the community as Memorial has always done.”

Broward Health signaled a reopening for elective surgeries by rolling out a red carpet on Monday morning to welcome back nurses, doctors and patients. Broward Health CEO Gino Santorio said his health system has taken a variety

of measures to test every patient, separate anyone infected, and step up sanitation.

“Statewide hospitals have the best infection protocol in place that they ever have had,” Santorio said. “We are going to do a lot of messaging to let people know that.”

Yet Santorio recognizes the challenge ahead: continuing to treat COVID-19 patients, luring lucrative surgeries back and keeping supplies well stocked. The health system may take a full year to return to prior patient levels, he said.

“We think there is a pentup demand in elective procedures. But even with a hurricane, what we have seen is that not 100% reschedule. Some put it off for a year or more,” he said.

Asher Michaelson, of Weston, needs a painful tumor on his hand removed. Rather than schedule outpatient surgery, he may be one of those patients who puts it off.

“I don’t want to be at a place right now where people are sick,” he said.

That thinking could have consequences. The healthcare report by Crowe forecasts furloughed hospital employees might not all return if patients stay away and the novel coronavirus lingers. The average hospital will need to run at 110% of previous capacity for six months straight to recover the volume lost during the pandemic, the report found. Brain Sanderson, national healthcare leader for Crowe, said that speed of recovery is unlikely.

“You can’t just turn it on and have everyone start showing up at the operating room,” Sanderson said. “It’s going to put an enormous amount of financial distress on hospitals. The forced change could be good, but we may see a lot of pain in the interim.”

Cleveland Clinic Florida CEO, Dr. Wael Barsoum, said health systems like his will learn as they go. “None of us in our lifetimes have reversed a viral quarantine. We will learn things every day.”

To reopen, Cleveland

Clinic will take the temperature of everyone who enters, test all patients for the virus, require everyone to wear masks, and separate COVID-19 patients.

“Today I sent 1.2 million emails to patients across the system that lays out safety processes we put in place,” Barsoum said. “For two hours I videoed a patient safety announcement talking about the safety measures we put in place for folks to feel confident coming back. Patients will come to the hospital they feel most safe going to."

Barsoum said he personally is doing three surgeries this week but understands that some remain fearful.

“I don’t think anyone should put themselves at emotional or physical risk before they feel comfortable,” he said. “If they don’t feel confident they should wait. I can’t tell you though, it isn’t going to get any safer a month from now. “

Hospitals says re-opening in phases, they can continue to patient response.

At Baptist Health South Florida, with hospitals in Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties, cancer patients have been waiting to resume reconstruction and other procedures.

Bo Boulenger, chief operating officer of Baptist Health South Florida, said the health system will begin opening to some procedures on Wednesday and allowing more intensive operations every two weeks based on supplies and staffing. “As long as the number of COVID cases remains reasonable, we could be fully back by the end of June,” he said.

At Bethesda, a Baptist Health South Hospital in Boynton Beach, CEO Nelson Lazo said his community with its many seniors may take more convincing.

“I don’t think they will be knocking on our door on Wednesday,” he said. “They are concerned. But over time they will want to take care of their health and it will start to build.”