REPORT.....CONNIE
3
FELLMAN TELLS US WHY PATIENTS
SHOULDN'T WAIT TO HAVE
ELECTIVE SURGERIES.
3
surgeries get the green light
to resume, some patients may
have concerns about getting
surgery during the COVID-19
pandemic.Debbie Doran is an
avid exerciser and traveler,
but she was sidelined by knee
pain."I couldn't walk. My knee
hurt that bad," shared Doran.
Then, COVID-19 sidelined her
knee replacement surgery
twice."Because of COVID, it
was cancelled. Then we
rescheduled for April and, it
was cancelled," continued
Doran.As elective surgeries
begin to resume, some doctors
are recommending their
patients have surgery now in
case there is another spike in
COVID cases.Richard Berger,
MD, an orthopedic Surgeon at
Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush
said, "I tell my patients now
is the best time to get
surgery because if it gets
bad, we may have to cancel
elective surgeries or at least
postpone them again."But is
getting surgery at the
hospital safe?"Other than
staying home, it's about the
safest place you can possibly
go," continued Dr. Berger.
Parag Patel, MD, an
anesthesiologist at Rush
University Medical Center
stated, "We keep up-to-date
with all the most current
guidelines put out there by
the Department of Public
Health as well as the CDC."For
elective surgeries, hospitals
are implementing new protocols
to keep everyone safe."We do a
screening out front before
they come in. Check their
temperatures. Check for any
symptoms. We are testing all
of our patients for COVID
before they come in for
surgery," said Dr. Patel.And
for high-risk procedures, a
clear drape or plastic box is
placed over patients to reduce
the risk of spread. After
months of waiting, Doran is
finally able to have her knee
replacement surgery."I
thought, you know what, why
not just get this over with
because I got a lot of living
to do here," said Doran.
Including watching one of her
daughters walk down the aisle
next year.With the pause in
elective surgeries, experts
say it may take up to three or
four months to resolve the
back log of surgeries.AND
THAT'S YOUR HEALTHWATCH,
CONNIE FELLMAN, LOCAL 3 NEWS.
3
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REPORT...NAOMI RUCHIM HAS THE
