Atrium Health Care issued the following announcement on Mar. 17.
Atrium Health, Novant Health and Wake Forest Baptist Health are coordinating together to prepare for and respond to the possibility of increasing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) spreading in our communities.
Following the guidelines from the U.S. Surgeon General and the American College of Surgeons, Atrium Health, Wake Forest Baptist Health and Novant Health are rescheduling non-essential surgeries, procedures and ambulatory appointments, effective Wednesday, March 18. Any emergency and essential services will continue uninterrupted.
Rescheduling these appointments will minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 among patients, visitors and healthcare providers. It also allows each healthcare system to conserve critical resources and focus care on those that need it most.
Patients who fall into this category will receive communication from their healthcare provider with further instructions. If patients have specific questions, they should reach out to their healthcare provider to understand how this decision will impact their appointment or procedure.
"As we navigate this situation together, we are all focusing resources to ensure that acute patients have the care and support they need when they need it," said Julie Freischlag, M.D., CEO of Wake Forest Baptist Health, Carl Armato, CEO of Novant Health, and Eugene A. Woods, President and CEO of Atrium Health in a joint statement. "We all care deeply for each and every one of our patients, our healthcare workers and those in our communities, and our health systems continue to work together and communicate daily with each other."
Each health system has established a dedicated website to keep their communities updated on COVID-19.
About Atrium Health
Atrium Health is one of the nation's leading and most innovative healthcare organizations, providing a full spectrum of healthcare and wellness programs throughout the Southeast region. Its diverse network of care locations includes academic medical centers, hospitals, freestanding emergency departments, physician practices, surgical and rehabilitation centers, home health agencies, nursing homes and behavioral health centers, as well as hospice and palliative care services. Atrium Health works to enhance the overall health and well-being of its communities through high-quality patient care, education and research programs, and numerous collaborative partnerships and initiatives.
Original source: https://atriumhealth.org/about-us/newsroom/news/2020/03/non-essential-surgeries-procedures-and-ambulatory-appointments-to-be-rescheduled
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