UPMC Receives Criticism For Continuing Elective Procedures During Coronavirus Pandemic
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Are our local hospitals prepared? UPMC is drawing criticism for continuing to perform elective procedures during the pandemic.
KDKA has been getting a lot of emails from nurses and staff who question the need for these procedures at a critical time. But UPMC says it will be ready for the surge in coronavirus cases.
"All elective procedures have been asked to be canceled by the health department and all the hospitals and that's not happening at this time," said Dr. Stacy Lane from Central Outreach Wellness Center.
Are so-called elective procedure and surgeries putting both staff and patients at risk during this critical time? Medical professionals in and outside of UPMC have cast a critical eye on the health system's resolve to continue performing them.
"The competition and the idea that profit over people has to stop," said Dr. Lane.
But UPMC rejects the idea that its physicians and nurses are providing anything but necessary medical care to cancer patients and others who require regular treatment. UPMC says it's deciding on a case-by-case basis which ones should be done and which should be postponed, while it gears up for a greater number of coronavirus cases.
In a statement, they said: "UPMC has been preparing since the outset of this virus emergence and before for other critical challenges. Nothing we do will in any way diminish that preparation."
