CHI Memorial will resume scheduled procedures and clinic operations in early May.
Officials said, "The health and safety of our patients and caregivers remains our top priority, and we have worked to ensure all safeguards are in place as we follow guidelines set by the governor and the Department of Health to begin increasing access to elective procedures, imaging services, and clinic and physician office visits so we may provide patients with appropriate care.
We know these services are critically important to our patients to help alleviate pain, treat chronic conditions, or prevent a condition from worsening."
Elective surgeries will resume May 4. As the hospital resumes surgery, patients will be screened and vetted for any potential signs or symptoms of COVID-19 or who may have exposure to others with COVID-19. The scheduling surgeon will evaluate each case based on surgical and medical risk, and then in consultation with surgical review committee comprised of surgeons, anesthesia, pathology and infectious disease specialists, will guide the decision to proceed with surgery. Some surgeries and procedures that deal with the chest and/or upper airway will require a pre-surgical COVID-19 test for an added measure of caution. Patients will be notified if their procedure falls into the pre-test category. The safety of patients and healthcare workers always comes first.
CHI Memorial Medical Group will reopen physician offices beginning May 4, taking a measured approach. This involves a phased reopening plan that increases patient appointments over a period of five or six weeks. This allows managing the number of people in waiting areas to meet social distancing guidelines and provides ample time for cleaning and disinfecting between each patient. Physician practices will continue using telemedicine and virtual visits which began in March.
The Chattanooga Heart Institute offices in Cleveland, CHI Memorial Hospital Chattanooga and Hixson are open. Offices at the Atrium, Ringgold and Jasper will reopen May 18, 2020, taking a measured approach. This involves a phased reopening plan that increases patient appointments over a period of five or six weeks. This allows managing the number of people in waiting areas to meet social distancing guidelines and provides ample time for cleaning and disinfecting between each patient. Physician practices will continue using telemedicine and virtual visits which began in March.
Outpatient services will reopen beginning May 4, taking a measured approach. This includes starting back with a phased reopening and increasing appointments for services over a period of five or six weeks. This will allow managing the number of people in waiting areas to meet social distancing guidelines and provides ample time for cleaning and disinfecting between each patient. Services resuming operation include:
· May 1 - MaryEllen Locher Breast Center
· May 4 - Cardiac Imaging
Imaging Services
Cardiac Rehab – Phase 2
Officials said, "Hospitals are safe. CHI Memorial has taken every precaution to protect healthcare workers and patients. Any patient with COVID-19 or who is being actively tested to rule out COVID-19 is placed in units separate from other patients. These measures have helped to keep everyone safe; this process of isolating patients in the testing pathway, masking and monitoring, will continue indefinitely. CHI Memorial will continue to obey strict social distancing and will continue to restrict visitors to ensure proper social distancing. The hospitals are very safe and we intend to ensure they remain so."
For more information about scheduling a procedure or rescheduling a previously scheduled procedure, please contact your physician. You may also visit CHIMemorialMedicalGroup.org, ChattanoogaHeart.com, or Memorial.org.