WACO, Texas — According to Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest, in-patient elective surgeries are postponed until further notice.
This is just another Central Texas hospital making these tough decisions because of the COVID-19 surge.
Elective surgery is a non-essential procedure, like a knee replacement. Central Texas saw this same decision months ago when things took a turn for the worse.
In an email Monday morning, Megan Snipes with Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest said the hospital is "postponing in-patient elective surgeries and procedures."
Last week, Baylor Scott & White also reported they will also cancel non-essential surgeries.
"That's impacting your grandmother who has a bad hip that needs replacement and can't walk around because of the pain, but we have to postpone that," said Dr. Stephen Sibbit, chief medical officer of Baylor Scott & White.
Dr. Sibbit said, like Waco, it comes down to staffing.
"The ORs have a lot of people and we are freeing up doctors and nurses to help care for these COVID patients that are coming into our building," said Dr. Sibbit.
Without elective surgeries, money moving into the hospital is at a standstill affecting frontline workers.
Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Hillcrest officials said emergency surgeries will move forward. Cases involving cancer and cardiovascular procedures will proceed.
EDITOR'S NOTE: A previous version of this story stated "all"elective surgeries. Baylor Scott & White made a correction on their statement to "in-patient" elective surgeries.
