Most parts of WNY able to resume elective surgery, Erie County cannot

Elective surgeries are beginning again in some parts of Western New York, but in Erie County, doctors are still waiting for the state to give them the green light.

ELECTIVE SURGERIESARE BEGINNING AGAININ SOME PARTS OFWESTERN NEW YORK.BUT IN ERIE COUNTY --THE HARDEST HITAREA -- DOCTORS ARESTILL WAITING FORTHE STATE TO GIVETHEM THE GREENLIGHT.AS 7 EYEWITNESNEWS REPORTERGILAT MELAMEDSHOWS US WHYPUTTING OFFSURGERIES CAN BEDANGEROUS TO APATIENT'S HEALTH...AND A HOSPITAL'SBOTTOM LINE.ELECTIVE SURGERIESARE ONE OF THEFIRST THINGS TO"UN-PAUSE" IN NEWYORK STATE.GOVERNOR CUOMOSAYS A COUNTY HASTO MEET TWOCRITERIA IN ORDERFOR THE SURGERIESTO RESUME.-MORE THAN 25%AVAILABLE HOSPITALSPACE.-AND FEWER THAN 10NEW COVID-19HOSPITALIZATIONSFOR THE PAST 10DAYS.CJ URLAUB IS THEPRESIDENT OF MOUNTST.

MARY'S HOSPITALIN NIAGARA COUNTY--WHERE ELECTIVEPROCEDURES AREALREADY UP ANDRUNNING AGAIN.AND THE UN-PAUSECOULDN'T HAVE COMESOON ENOUGH.THE BAN LED TO ALOSS OF CRUCIALREVENUE."THAT'S BEEN ACHALLENGE BECAUSEIT CAME AT A TIMEWHEN OUR EXPENSESWERE GOING UP FORPPE, FOR ADDITIONALSTAFF, THAT REALLYHIT US WITH A DOUBLEWHAMMY."AS FOR PATIENTS--DON'T LET THE WORDELECTIVE MISLEADYOU.DELAYING ELECTIVESURGERIES ANDPROCEDURES-- LIKECOLONSCOPIES-- FORTOO LONG CAN BEDANGEROUS."YOU CAN WAIT ALITTLE WHILE, BUTTHAT DOESN'T MEANYOUR CONDITIONSGETTING BETTER ANDACTUALLY IF YOU WAITTOO LONG IT MAY ADDSOMECOMPLICATIONS."PATIENTS FIRST HAVETO TEST NEGATIVEFOR COVID-19, AND GOTHROUGH OTHERPRE-SURGICALTESTING."IT'S NOT LIKE FLIPPINGA SWITCH."ERIE COUNTYEXECUTIVE MARKPOLONCARZ SAYSHOSPITAL EXECUTIVESHE SPOKE WITH ATKALEIDA, ECMC, ANDCATHOLIC HEALTHBELIEVE THEY'RE IN APOSITION TO DOSOME ELECTIVESURGERIES.CATHOLIC HEALTHSAYS ALL OF ITSHOSPITALS MEET THECAPACITYTHRESHOLD... ONE OFTHE REASONS WHYPOLONCARZ ISCALLING ON THESTATE TO GIVE ERIECOUNTY THE GREENLIGHT."IT MAKES REALLY NOSENSE FOR THEM TOBE DOING ELECTIVESURGERIES, BUT THEHOSPITALS HERE INERIE COUNTY TO NOT,IF WE CAN HANDLE IT,AND WE CAN.

BASEDON THE NUMBER OFBEDS AVAILABLE WEBELIEVE THAT WE CANHANDLE IT."THE GOVERNOR SAYSTHE COUNTY CAN'T."WESTERN NEW YORKHAS A CAPACITYISSUE."OTHER REGIONS LIKEALBANY ANDDOWNSTATE ALSOCANNOT RESUMEELECTIVEPROCEDURES JUSTYET.IF A COUNTY'SHOSPITALIZATION RATEGOES BACK UP-- THEELECTIVEPROCEDURES HAVETO STOP.GILAT MELAMED, 7EYEWITNESS NEW