"We are rescheduling anything that can wait," said Michelle Lopes, Chief Nursing Executive with John Muir Health.
[Ads /]
RELATED: Bay Area ICU capacity: How close we are to the 15% threshold
Decisions at John Muir Medical Center are being made case-by-case, based more on urgency than on whether something is traditionally "elective."
"Probably the easiest way to think of it is something that's not time-sensitive," explained Lopes.
"So example, for some patients, a total hip replacement, if they're completely immobile and unable to move could be urgent."
Sutter Health announced its hospitals are also making "adjustments" to non-urgent surgery schedules.
VIDEO: Kaiser postpones non-urgent surgeries in Northern California due to COVID-19 surge
[Ads /]
Kaiser postpones elective surgeries due to COVID-19 surge
As of now, University of California San Francisco Medical Center is not cancelling elective procedures, but the situation could change.
Stanford Health is also going ahead with elective procedures that do no require a hospital bed, while Kaiser Permanente is delaying many as a response to California's COVID-19 surge.
"We're still doing surgeries, for instance, with cancer, with urgent procedures. We're doing emergent procedures that need to be done," said Dr. Michael Vollmer with Kaiser Permanente, "But things that can be delayed, even for a week or two, until we can get this surge under control in the state."
RELATED: California has 2nd highest COVID-19 daily case rate in the US
[Ads /]
At John Muir, the decision to scale back on elective surgeries comes after the system's two hospitals have seen a tripling of coronavirus patients since Thanksgiving.
John Muir now has more than 100 hospitalized coronavirus patients, its highest number since the pandemic began.
"We know that people gathered. We're already seeing the impact significantly from Thanksgiving and we're preparing for the impact from Christmas," said Lopes, who implored the public to follow stay-at-home orders until the crisis subsides.
If you have a question or comment about the coronavirus pandemic, submit yours via the form below or here.
RELATED STORIES & VIDEOS:
- Map: CA counties that can, can't reopen under new rules
- COVID-19 risk calculator: The safest and most dangerous things to do this holiday season
- Updated number of COVID-19 deaths, cases in Bay Area
- COVID-19 Help: Comprehensive list of resources, information
- California EDD: The most commonly asked questions we get about unemployment and PUA
- Health experts urge flu shots in effort to avoid 'twindemic'
- How to tell the difference between seasonal allergies and coronavirus symptoms
- Here's which mask is better to protect from COVID-19
- First COVID-19 vaccine volunteers in US describe experience as Bay Area launches vaccine trials
- From salons to dinner parties: Experts rate the risk of 12 activities
- Coronavirus origin: Where did COVID-19 come from?
- What is a COVID-19 genetic, antigen and antibody test?
- What will it take to get a COVID-19 vaccine and how will it be made?
- What does COVID-19 do to your body and why does it spread so easily?
- Here's how shelter in place, stay at home orders can slow spread of COVID-19
- Coronavirus Timeline: Tracking major moments of COVID-19 pandemic in San Francisco Bay Area
- COVID-19 Diaries: Personal stories of Bay Area residents during novel coronavirus pandemic
- Coronavirus Doctor's Note: Dr. Alok Patel gives his insight into COVID-19 pandemic