MADISON, Wis. — Madison hospitals say they may have to start limiting non-emergency procedures as the COVID-19 pandemic gets worse and more people are hospitalized.
In a joint release, UW Health, SSM Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter say they are assessing their schedules for non-emergency and non-urgent procedures and surgeries, and some procedures will need to be postponed or rescheduled.
Those affected will be contacted directly.
Procedures like c-sections, appendectomies, bone fracture repair and other emergency surgeries will still continue at all three hospitals.
The hospitals say this will allow more staff, hospital beds and other resources remain available for the growing number of COVID-19 patients they’re seeing.
As of Thursday, state data showed hospitals in the South Central region of Wisconsin, which includes Dane County, at 81% capacity. The region saw an 11% increase in the amount of COVID patients hospitalized on Thursday, with a total of 119 people in the region hospitalized.
The hospitals say they’ll continue to reassess their procedure schedules as the situation with the pandemic develops. In the meantime, they are urging everyone in the community to support them by wearing face coverings, physically distancing from others and consistently washing their hands to contain the spread of the virus.
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