This Idaho hospital group will pause some surgeries amid increase of COVID-19 patients
One of the Treasure Valley’s largest health groups will pause some elective surgeries because of the recent rise in hospitalizations related to COVID-19.
St. Luke’s Health System announced Wednesday in a news release that it will temporarily halt certain surgeries that require an overnight hospital stay. The pause will not affect elective outpatient procedures that do not require an overnight stay.
For those in the Magic Valley, the pause has already started. St. Luke’s in Twin Falls hospital paused some procedures starting Aug. 9, until at least Aug. 20. All elective surgical, catherization lab, interventional radiology and endoscopy procedures that would require a hospital stay are on pause.
In the Treasure Valley, St. Luke’s will halt the same procedures from Aug. 16 to Aug. 27. St. Luke’s has hospitals in Boise, Meridian and Nampa.
St. Luke’s said in the news release that the pauses were a result of “sustained high patient volumes in its medical centers and significant and increasing COVID-19 activity resulting in hospitalization in the community.” The hospital group added that it will continue to ramp up or dial back services depending on its hospital capacities.
“We are implementing this pause in order to accommodate and plan for increased patient volumes as our patients needing to be admitted has doubled in two weeks and the COVID-19 positivity rate continues to climb,” said Dr. Jim Souza, St. Luke’s chief physician executive, in the news release.
The hospital group has postponed and canceled elective surgeries because of the virus in the past, making the move last November. Weeks before the announcement, the St. Luke’s Magic Valley hospital had multiple 12-hour periods were it could not accept new patients, sending them elsewhere.
On Tuesday, Idaho health officials reported 753 new confirmed and probable coronavirus cases, as well as two new deaths. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare reported, as of Tuesday, that 701,498 residents are fully vaccinated, meaning only about 46.5% of Idahoans 12 and older.
“We strongly encourage and are appealing to individuals to take measures to decrease the spread of COVID-19, including vaccinations for those who are eligible and wearing a mask indoors whenever you are around individuals who are not part of your immediate family,” Souza said in the news release.
“Providing care to all who need it is our priority and our mission; we hope everyone will take the necessary steps.”
