Hospitals, hospital outpatient departments and ASCs with low COVID-19 cases treating intermediate acuity and unhealthy patients should consider postponing low-risk cancer surgeries and nonurgent spine and orthopedic surgeries, according to a new CMS recommendation.
The agency released a tiered approach to canceling surgeries based on health and age of the patient. CMS said surgeries that shouldn't be postponed are for unhealthy patients in hospitals undergoing transplant, trauma, cardiac and limb threatening vascular surgeries, as well as neurosurgery and most cancer surgeries. CMS recommended postponing endoscopies, colonoscopies and cataract surgeries for healthy patients undergoing those procedures in hospital outpatient departments, ASCs and inpatient hospitals. CMS also said to postpone nonessential dental exams until further notice.
Read more here.
Has your ASC been affected by COVID-19? To share your story, please email Rachel Popa at rpopa@beckershealthcare.com.