Mon Health System Launches Phased Approach to Safely Restore Urgent Elective Medical Services

Mon Health System will begin a phased approach to safely resume services to address the current and ongoing medical needs of patients in accordance with national and statewide guidance, effective Tuesday, April 28, 2020.

This decision was made in agreement with Governor Jim Justice’s recent announcement of the state’s initiative to begin lifting restrictions on elective procedures and surgeries. Nearly a month ago, Mon Health System hospitals delayed elective, non-emergent surgeries to increase capacity for Coronavirus patients and with the infection curve continuing to flatten, we are ready to move forward together. If your appointment was cancelled or postponed over the last month, you will hear directly from your physician or our Mon Health team members about rescheduling opportunities.

“We’ve worked together to manage COVID-19. Now, we need to get back to work keeping our community healthy,” explained David Goldberg, President & CEO at Mon Health System. “Mon Health hospitals are ready with strong safety protocols. Our clinics are ready. Our doctors and nurses are ready. For a medical emergency, our emergency departments are ready, safe, with no lengthy wait times and cleaned to the highest standards to mitigate the spread of germs and infection. There is no reason to put your health at risk by putting off your visit to the doctor or delaying a needed medical procedure.”

Mon Health System hospitals have designed a phased, evidence-based approach to safely provide medical services that are essential to the overall health and wellbeing of the communities served. The first phase includes the restarting of all medically necessary, time-sensitive elective procedures and non-invasive testing including MRIs, CTs, cardiac testing procedures and mammograms. Our specialty and primary care clinics have remained open and will continue to do so.

While we continue to emphasize the use of telemedicine, we know in person provider appointments are vital and we are offering both options for our patients with provider input on best way to treat your medical condition.

To protect all patients and staff, extremely detailed plans are outlined in all Mon Health System facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These steps include:

• All staff are screened at the beginning of their work shift.
• All staff and patients are directed to wear face masks.
• Providers and clinical staff will always wear surgical or N95 facemasks as appropriate. Enough resources of personal protective equipment are available to all staff and are worn based off CDC protocols of patient care.
• All patients scheduled for surgical or invasive medical procedures will be screened for COVID-19 and tested as criteria directs.
• In addition to screening and protective equipment protocol, Mon Health System is taking several measures to ensure both facility and environmental safety:
• Current no visitation policy will remain in place. Exceptions will be made for special circumstances as determined by nursing leadership and administration.
• Infection prevention control best practices, including the thorough cleaning and sterilization efforts in between every patient visit in waiting areas, patient rooms, operating rooms and other patient-occupied spaces, will continue.
• Water fountains have been turned off, food is pre-packaged, and public spaces, such as waiting areas and patient areas have been carefully configured to promote social distancing.
• Masks and other personal protective equipment will be worn by all staff and patients for the duration of the visit/procedure to ensure safety.

“We are confident in our approach and will continue to closely monitor the situation. Your urgent medical need is important to us and we will do everything possible to manage your care while manage your safety and that of our Mon Health colleagues. There’s a reason why Mon Health is the most trusted healthcare provider in our community. We have a 75- year history of consistent, high-quality care with best-in-the-nation outcomes, including highest cleanliness and patient experience scores in the state, only Leapfrog “A” hospital plus being within the top 100 emergency rooms nationally for sepsis care with the very best employees and physicians caring for our patients. COVID-19 won’t change that. We know how to mitigate your risk and will only proceed with best-in-class care using methods and approaches that are evidence- based and CDC recommended,” concluded Goldberg.

For more information on Mon Health System’s phased approach to resume services, visit www.MonHealth.com/ForwardTogether.