Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Catholic Health has received approval from the New York State Department of Health to resume elective surgery in Erie County. It means elective surgery will be returning to Kenmore Mercy, Sisters of Charity and Mercy Hospital of Buffalo.
Last week, Governor Andrew Cuomo issued an Executive Order allowing elective surgeries to resume at hospitals in 35 counties across the state, excluding Erie County, that met a number of specific conditions. As part of the order, hospitals could request a waiver based on their individual status. Catholic Health submitted a waiver last Thursday on behalf of its Erie County hospitals.
Kaleida Health and ECMC also applied for a waiver and is waiting for a response from the State Department of Health.
Late Tuesday, the New York State Department of Health notified Catholic Health President & CEO Mark Sullivan of its approval for the health system's waiver. Catholic Health is finalizing key elements of the plan with New York State. Last week, Mount St. Mary's Hospital in Niagara County, also part of Catholic Health, began performing elective surgery as part of the state's first wave of approvals in counties that had lower numbers of COVID-19 patients.
Elective surgeries could resume at Catholic Health because there were only only four coronavirus patients at Mercy Hospital in South Buffalo and one patient at Kenmore Mercy Hospital. There were no coronavirus patients at Sisters of Charity Hospital in Buffalo and none at Mount Saint Mary in Lewiston.
Catholic Health CEO Mark Sullivan anticipates surgeries beginning as early as next week and it could bring back some of the 1,350 workers who were previously furloughed.
"I would like to personally thank Governor Cuomo and New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker for enabling us to resume elective surgeries throughout Catholic Health," said Sullivan. "This decision represents their recognition of the steps we have taken to provide a safe, highly reliable care environment for our patients, physicians, and staff during this pandemic, and their confidence in our ability to provide high quality surgical care to our community."
Catholic Health has convened a Perioperative Response Team and developed a comprehensive plan to resume elective surgeries as quickly as possible. "We will provide more details in the coming days regarding the processes and safeguards we have put in place to protect everyone's safety, while working with our medical staff and caregivers to provide our patients with the high quality care that is our hallmark." Sullivan added.
