UW Medicine postpones non-urgent surgeries over rise in COVID cases
Jan 3, 2022, 11:39 AM
Nurse Mackenzie Gray administers care to a patient in the acute care COVID unit at Harborview Medical Center. (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)
UW Medicine is postponing surgeries and other procedures that are not urgent through Jan. 14, citing a recent rise in COVID-19 cases driven by the omicron variant.
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Hospital leaders say the changes are designed to maintain a safe environment for health care workers and patients alike.
“We understand that delays can be difficult for patients and their families, but this will help us maintain the necessary staffing and bed capacity to provide safe, quality care in the weeks ahead,” it said in a news release, encouraging patients to prioritize telehealth visits over in-person appointments.
Those with postponed procedures or surgeries will be notified by UW Medicine’s operational team.
This marks the first time UW Medicine has postponed lower-priority procedures for COVID-related reasons since the start of the pandemic in 2020. As of Monday, case rates in King County remain at record levels, along with a 14% week-over-week increase in hospitalizations.
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As of Monday, all University of Washington hospitals will have new rules for visitors. That includes scaled-back hours that will now run between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. at Harborview Medical Center, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at Montlake and Northwest campuses. There will also be a limit of one visitor per day per patient for no more than an hour. Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test — and the wearing of a “medical-grade mask” — will be required as well.
