Topeka, Kan.-based Stormont Vail Health will begin performing elective surgical procedures May 4, The Topeka Capital-Journal reports.
What you should know:
1. The hospital plans to reopen all of its surgical locations except for the Cotton O'Neil clinic in Emporia, Iowa.
2. The hospital's clinics and surgery centers will operate at 50 percent capacity after reopening.
3. Stormont will enforce social distancing guidelines and screen visitors at the door of the clinics to monitor for COVID-19 symptoms.
4. The health system will continue to delay surgeries for patients with heart disease, lung disease or diabetes, as well as patients over 65 years old.
5. All patients at the system's two surgery centers will be tested for COVID-19 and must be negative before they can undergo a procedure. Both centers will also have expanded hours to help tackle the system's backlog of elective procedures.