Ontario Premier Doug Ford is telling hospitals and patients to get ready as they prepare to start surgeries and procedures again. Ford says they will prioritize more serious cases.
The Premier says timelines will vary from hospital to hospital and they will need to meet certain criteria before resuming scheduled surgeries.
FOR WEB:
The framework, A Measured Approach to Planning for Surgeries and Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic, contains clear criteria that must be met before hospitals can resume scheduled surgeries, including ensuring that the hospital and its region have the following:
- A stable number of COVID-19 cases;
- A stable supply of personal protective equipment;
- A stable supply of medications;
- An adequate capacity of inpatient and intensive care unit beds;
- An adequate capacity of health human resources; and
- The availability of post-acute care outside the hospital that would be required to support patients after discharge.
