This message is from Thomas Whalen, MD, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, and Terry Capuano, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
LVHN remains vigilant as the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) evolves, and we are committed to the safety and well-being of our colleagues and our community so we continue to share the latest information and updates with you.
We are sharing the following changes with you:
Service Changes – Operating Rooms
In order to preserve vital medical supplies and personal protective equipment, LVHN is temporarily closing select operating rooms across the health network. This precaution is consistent with decisions being made at other health networks across the country, and it will allow us to maintain vital surgical services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sites temporarily closing effective Monday, March 23, include:
- Fairgrounds Surgical Center
- LVH–17th Street, operating room
- LVHN–Tilghman, operating room
- J.B. and Kathleen Reilly Children’s Surgery Center
- Coordinated Health, all operating rooms
All scheduled procedures at these sites will be reviewed, and critical procedures will be relocated to other locations within the health network.
Select cancer cases will proceed at LVH–Cedar Crest and LVH–Pocono. Additionally, cardiac cases will be restricted to one room per day at LVH–Cedar Crest and LVH–Pocono. LVHN will begin contacting patients today to discuss plans for their scheduled procedure.
As you can imagine, this was not an easy decision. However, we believe it is best for our patients and our providers. Thank you for the tremendous amount of work you have done in such a short period of time.
Service Changes – Ambulatory Services
As part of our ongoing effort to ensure safety for patients, staff and our community during the COVID-19 outbreak, LVHN is implementing a process to postpone some of our previously scheduled tests and procedures.
LVHN colleagues will call patients to inform them if their test or procedure needs to be postponed.
Beginning Monday, March 23, our team will contact patients currently scheduled for tests and procedures that need to be delayed due to the impact of COVID-19. It is important to note that these non-urgent tests and procedures are not being cancelled – they are being postponed for the health of our community and colleagues during this pandemic.
Service Changes – LVHN ExpressCARE
To help ensure adequate staffing at LVHN COVID-19 Assess and Test locations, LVHN is temporarily suspending services at three LVHN ExpressCARE locations. In addition, LVHN ExpressCARE locations currently offering COVID-19 Assess and Test services will redirect people seeking ExpressCARE treatment for minor illnesses and injuries not related to COVID-19 to other ExpressCARE locations.
LVHN ExpressCARE locations temporarily suspending services effective March 23 are:
Starting Tuesday, March 24, parents seeking care for their children should utilize health care services at LVHN ExpressCARE–Palmer Township while Children’s ExpressCARE services are temporarily suspended.
Lehigh Valley Reilly Children’s Hospital remains open to provide specialized care to children in our community.
The following LVHN ExpressCARE locations that also serve as LVHN COVID-19 Assess and Test locations will redirect people seeking ExpressCARE services to other ExpressCARE sites starting March 23:
LVHN ExpressCARE–Richland Township will offer both COVID-19 assessment and testing and ExpressCARE services, however non-COVID-19 patients seeking ExpressCARE treatment for minor illness and injuries will use a separate registration desk and waiting room.
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LVHN ExpressCARE modifications are subject to change as the impact of COVID-19 continues to evolve.
Thank you for all that you do
Your contributions to patient care, access and daily operations are greatly appreciated as we navigate daily challenges posed by the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
Please speak with your manager regarding a potential change in work location or hours due to these service changes.
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