Waiting for state to start elective surgeries

Huntsville Hospital is waiting to learn from Governor Kay Ivey when it can start performing elective surgeries again

Governor kay ivey will reveal plans for the future of alabama's coronavirus restrictions in about 12 hours... huntsville hospital will be watching to learn when it can start performing elective surgeries again.

These are the surgeries that were postponed or cancelled by state health orders to free up resources to fight coronavirus.

Waay31's steven dilsizian talked with huntsville hospital leaders about these surgeries, and what it will mean for medical staff.

Huntsville hospital leaders tell me an elective surgery essentially is a surgery that can wait without hurting the patient.

Plastic surgery is a common example.

These procedures were frozen a few weeks ago to make sure the hospital could handle coronavirus cases.

Take sot: tracy doughty - huntsville hospital "we're planning now to looking to the first of next month, to re-open if the government gives the order and the state health department follows those plans.

So we're preparing for whenever they say go that we're ready and have staff in place to do so" tracy doughty with huntsville hospital says there is no specific date to when elective surgeries will resume, but the hospital is making sure it is ready.

He explains why they were frozen in the first place.

Take sot: tracy doughty - huntsville hospital "by not having elective surgeries, you are utilizing less ppe across the board, and there are less people in and out of the hospital and interacting with each other, so it serves two purposes" doughty says the hospital uses agency guidelines, including the american college of surgeons, to identify what is elective - like removing a mole or wart - and isn't elective.

He says a non-elective surgery is.... take sot: tracy doughty - huntsville hospital "something is of extreme pain, or it will shorten your lifespan, or a cancer-agent, or something like that going on, those are not elective" doughty wants everyone to know if they are not feeling well, the emergency room doesn't close for anybody.

Take sot: tracy doughty - huntsville hospital "we're still taking care of patients, and we can take care of more, so if you're at home and not feeling well, you have an ailment and can't get to your primary care physician, our er's are open and ready to take care of you" when elective surgeries start again, the hospital says it will need plenty of help.... many of the employees the hospital system furloughed will then start to return to work.

Live in hsv -- sd -- waay31 news.