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Coronavirus Coverage: UPMC Screening Patients 2 Days Before Scheduled Elective Procedures And Surgeries To Ensure Safety

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Hospitals can now resume elective surgeries and procedures as long as they have the resources.

"That was the very first thing we looked at," says UPMC Chair of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Donald Yealy. "I have no concern about masks, gloves, surgical gowns."

At UPMC, scheduled procedures put on hold will start up again next week.

"Things like scheduled heart procedures, cancer procedures, ear, nose and throat procedures, even some general surgical procedures. These are all scheduled often. ... But that doesn't mean that they aren't necessary," says Dr. Yealy. "People, by delaying their care, we do change their health trajectory. Non-COVID related illnesses, some of them are actually getting worse. I think it's in part because of delays in care."

To proceed safely, patients will be screened.

"We ask them to come in two days before their scheduled procedure. And we do a test for the virus. That's the swab into the back of the nose," Dr. Yealy said.

The patient remains at home, with social distancing and good hygiene, while waiting for the results.

"We'll have the result in somewhere between six and 24 hours," Dr. Yealy said.

While testing is highly encouraged, it's not mandatory.

If you test positive, you and your doctor may want to wait. Or maybe not.

"If there is still a threat to your health, there's the possibility to continue on with the procedure. Obviously with much more heightened precautions, not only for the patient but the care team," Dr. Yealy said.

But tests aren't perfect.

"It does not mean that something couldn't have changed in those two days," Dr. Yealy said. "We use all the same basic precautions we would have."

Some surgeons in other parts of the country are considering having their patients use iodine-based disinfecting nasal swabs, gargles and sprays to reduce the microbes at the back of the nose and throat.

"There's lots of ideas about what to do," says Dr. Yealy. "We've considered those options, but chose not to do any of those."

The most urgent cases will get priority. Less pressing procedures, such as screening colonoscopies, will resume in a stepwise manner.

"Instead of having very clear times or volume targets, just try to open up gradually. And watching what's going on, not only with the care but with all that testing. We want to learn from this," says Dr. Yealy.

Other area hospital systems are moving forward this week with their plans on how to resume in a safe way.

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