Doctors performing elective surgeries again

Doctors strongly encourage you to not delay any form of care you need.

Whether it's an emergency or a routine visit, there are plenty of precautions in place to keep everyone safe.

The time is now xx:xx.

New on daybreak.

Earlier this year, elective surgeries at mayo clinic were put "on pause" to focus on covid?

"*19 procedures.

Those procedures were pushed back by 30 days.

As kimt news 3's madelyne watkins explains... they're finally caught up and are back to regular scheduling.

She joins us live now to tell us how it's going.

Good morning, madelyne./// brooke and tyler.

I spoke with a doctor here at mayo clinic and he tells me they decided to shut down the majority of practices ?

"*?

"* other than t very urgent procedures ?

"*?

"* of precaution to keep the patients and the staff safe while they could learn more about the coronavirus.

For the past few months though... doctors have since returned to the o?

"*r for those elective surgeries.

Before getting back to work, they wanted to make sure the hospital had enough personal protective equipment for everyone there, doctors immediately started screening the patients for covid?

"*19 and they were planning ahead to see what patients needed to be in the hospital after a procedure for recovery time.

Doctor michael kendrick is the chair of the department of surgery and he tells me they were able to get caught up on the surgeries that were pushed back because the doctors at mayo clinic weren't able to "so we had lots of staff here and as long as we could keep them safe, we were actually allowed to treat more patients than we would have otherwise.

We've caught up, actually months ago we caught up on that backlog of patients that have been deferred back in march and april.

Those patients have all been taken care of.

Now, we're kind of in the normal stream of patients that come."

Doctor kendrick tells me they had to get creative with how they treat their patients in the time of covid?

"* 19 ?

"*?

"* such as appointments, for example.

He says some of those things they came up with will stick around even after the pandemic is over with.

Live in rochester.

Madelyne watkins kimt thank you madelyne.

Doctors strongly encourage you to ?

"(nt delay any form of care you may need.

Whether it's an emergency or a routine visit, there are plenty of precautions in