As Huntsville Hospital system is planning for a rise in virus cases, they are cancelling some elective surgeries as a precautionary measure.
Sydney... today- the hospital told me that will only impact patients who would need to stay overnight here at huntsville hospital main- but the women and children's hospital and madison campuses are not impacted.
Tracy doughty, senior vice president, operations "the hospital this time of year is already full, so you add 72 more patients who are sick on top of that and it adds a little bit of stress is some areas."
Vice president of operations tracy doughty told me with 63 coronavirus patients at huntsville hospital main and an additional 9 at the system's madison campus it canceled some elective surgery.
Tracy doughty, senior vice president, operations"to relieve that stress, we work with our surgeons who have been wonderful about it to delay some of those elective surgeries of the ones that can wait another couple of weeks a week or two, to free up bed and nurses to take care of covid-19 patients."
Doughty explained the surgeries canceled are only those that require a bed and an overnight stay at the hospital.
The hospital converted 3 floors to treat coronavirus patients- last week the hospital only needed one floor converted.
Doughty said if needed, more can be converted.
Tracy doughty, senior vice president, operations"we have other floors we will convert over as we reduce the number of elective surgeries and other things."
He said after the holiday weekend, the entire hospital system is planning for a rise in cases.
Tracy doughty, senior vice president, operations "for the 4th of july weekend.
If people were spreading the disease that weekend they won't start showing symptoms for 5 to 7 days afterwards.
We wouldn't know that from this past weekend."
Doughty told me the hospital is not furloughing any workers- but instead staff who worked on elective surgeries that were canceled will now be re-assigned to other work at the hospital or at the flu and fever clinic or drive thru testing site.
Live in huntsville sm waay 31
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