CommonSpirit Health Begins Safely Resuming Health Care Services and Procedures

May 8, 2020 – CHICAGO — As many states have begun to reopen more business and services, many CommonSpirit Health care sites are safely resuming additional health care services and procedures.

Some of these services and procedures were paused in March to prepare for an influx of patients with COVID-19 and reduce spread of the virus. With data showing the peak of the pandemic has passed, care facilities are working with local health officials to determine which services can safely resume. Many of these services are critically important to patients to alleviate pain and manage ongoing health conditions.

CommonSpirit Health is urging patients in need of medical care not to delay their care and to contact their doctor. In many cases patients can still receive the routine care they need through phone, video, or in-person visits. Patients may now also be able to have a delayed procedure rescheduled. And if care is needed right away, urgent care locations and emergency rooms are open and safely providing care.

CommonSpirit Health has developed detailed criteria for resuming scheduled procedures and other services at its care facilities, based on guidance from national health officials and the leading national associations of nurses, surgeons and anesthesiologists. Before any of our care facilities begin to schedule procedures, we must have:

• A very low level or sustained reduction of cases in the community
• State and local approval to resume
• Enough capacity of beds and equipment
• Enough Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the care facility
• Testing in place for preoperative patients who are scheduled for high-risk elective surgeries and procedures

To read the detailed guidelines that CommonSpirit is using to safely resume health care services and procedures, read CommonSpirit guidelines to safely resume health care services and procedures.

CommonSpirit facilities are also implementing additional safety measures to protect patients and staff. These include:

• Screenings for anyone entering our care sites.
• Masks are required for everyone. Cloth masks are acceptable for patients and masks will be provided for patients who don’t have one.
• Additional cleanings for all care areas every day and between procedures.
• In most cases facilities will have separate care areas for patients with COVID-19 symptoms.
• Testing in advance for any patient coming in for an invasive procedure.
• Visitors will remain limited in most cases.

CommonSpirit also recognizes that many patients may have experienced changes in their health insurance. Patients are encouraged to talk to their care team about financial assistance that may be available to patients who need it.