BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - Elective surgeries can resume in parts of New York State that don't have a significant risk of a coronavirus surge in the near term.
"We're going to allow elective outpatient treatment, which means the number of beds remain available because the number of people using those beds is still relatively minimal," Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday in Buffalo. "We're going to allow it in those hospitals and counties in the state that do not have a COVID issue or we couldn't need their beds in case of a surge."
Hospitals in Downstate New York counties cannot conduct elective surgeries, according to the Governor. Erie County hospitals cannot conduct elective surgeries either.
"We still need to protect those hospital beds in case we need them for COVID," Cuomo said.
The prolonged loss of elective surgeries put a financial strain on area hospitals. Catholic Health last week announced that senior leadership took a 20 percent pay cut because of the financial impact of the pandemic.
Catholic Health is losing about $30 million a month in revenue since drastically reducing elective procedures at its five western New York hospitals, President and Chief Executive Mark Sullivan said.
"It's a huge burden on the health system but we can't turn away from public safety and making sure that the plan going forward is appropriate," Sullivan said by phone. Only one of the system's hospitals, Mount St. Mary's Hospital in Niagara County, is outside an exclusion zone.
Kaleida Health President and CEO Jody Lomeo says he understand the Governor's gradual establishment of elective surgeries, saying; "Governor Cuomo is taking a proactive approach and outlining a process to safely open upstate New York. We applaud him for this and look forward to working with his team, Lt. Governor Hochul and the State Department of Health in the coming days and weeks. In particular, we are eager to learn more about the policy regarding safely resuming hospital operations including elective surgeries."
Hospitals in Niagara County and all other counties in the Western New York region can resume elective surgeries.
Eastern Niagara Hospital released the following statement
"In follow up to the governor's announcement that elective surgeries will be resumed in Niagara County, Eastern Niagara Hospital is working on a plan to safely facilitate these procedures at its ambulatory surgery center and another separate area of the hospital. We are pleased the governor is taking this regional approach and Eastern Niagara Hospital will be developing a comprehensive plan to care for patients, yet minimize risk to the greatest extent."
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center is still conducting common elective procedures such as breast cancer screenings and colonoscopies, but only if it is urgent.
"If you're a woman and you found a lump in your breast, maybe you can wait, but that's a different situation," Roswell Park CEO Candace Johnson said. "That's not a screening mammogram. You need that mammogram and you need to determine the extent of what that lump is. We would continue to do those studies. We continue to do colonoscopies or mammograms if the individual patient dictates it."
