Ascension Providence Hospital in Mobile is restarting elective and non-urgent surgeries this week, joining hospitals across the region in a gradual return to normal operations now that Alabama’s statewide ban on such procedures has been lifted.
Hospital administrators say the resumption, which took effect Monday, May 4, will unfold in phases rather than all at once, with clinical staff guiding the pace based on patient needs and available resources. The move follows Gov. Kay Ivey’s broader plan to reopen segments of the state’s economy and health care system after weeks of restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Ascension Providence first postponed elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures back on March 16, a step taken to preserve hospital capacity, protect patients and staff, and support the statewide effort to “flatten the curve” of coronavirus infections. During the roughly seven-week pause, the hospital continued handling emergency surgeries and urgent medical needs, while also expanding virtual care and telemedicine options so patients could consult providers from home.
“It’s important we take careful and measured steps to ensure a safe return to providing full access to healthcare services while also continuing to serve and support individuals and communities impacted by COVID-19,” said Dr. Huson Gilberstadt, chief clinical officer for Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast. He said patients can expect expanded access to care paired with enhanced safety measures designed to keep hospitals functioning as safe healing environments.
As part of the reopening, hospital staff will begin reaching out to patients whose surgeries and procedures were postponed during the shutdown, prioritizing those with the most urgent clinical needs. Patients scheduled for elective or non-emergency surgery will be required to undergo COVID-19 screening and testing ahead of their procedure date, and will be asked to self-quarantine in the days before surgery.
Ascension Providence is also keeping a number of precautions in place across its hospital, emergency rooms, clinics and offices. All staff continue to be screened for COVID-19 symptoms before starting work, and employees in procedural areas are being offered testing. Universal masking remains mandatory for staff and visitors alike, and environmental services teams are continuing rigorous cleaning and disinfecting routines throughout its facilities.
Temporary visitor restrictions and entry screening, including temperature checks for anyone registering 99.5 degrees or higher, remain in effect. However, beginning May 4, the hospital began easing some of those limits, allowing one visitor per patient for those who do not have COVID-19 and are not suspected of having the virus. Patients who do have the virus, or are suspected of having it, will still be unable to receive in-person visitors for the safety of staff and other patients. Anyone visiting is asked to bring their own face covering and will be screened before entering.
To help limit crowding and exposure risk, the hospital is staggering appointment times to reduce overlapping wait periods and has rearranged waiting areas to allow for social distancing. Patients with non-emergency symptoms are being asked to call ahead rather than walk in, both for scheduled visits and for suspected respiratory illness, so staff can advise on the safest way to be seen.
Ascension Providence is continuing to emphasize that non-COVID health needs haven’t disappeared during the pandemic, and that patients shouldn’t delay necessary care.
“Although COVID-19 is still present, we understand that individuals in our local communities have healthcare needs outside of COVID-19,” said Tom VanOsdol, president and CEO of Ascension Florida and Gulf Coast. “Our ‘return to surgery’ approach is in full compliance with the governor’s direction and led by our clinicians, who are working with our providers on a strategic process to keep our patients, associates and physicians safe and informed throughout this time of transition.”
Patients hospitalized with COVID-19, or those suspected of having the illness, continue to be housed in nursing units dedicated solely to their care, separate from other patients, hospital officials said.
For residents who want to manage routine health needs without an in-person visit, Ascension Online Care continues to offer 24/7 access to a provider by video chat, with no insurance required. Hospital officials stressed that anyone experiencing symptoms of a heart attack, stroke, severe respiratory distress, an emergency mental health crisis or other acute illness or injury should still go to the emergency room, which remains the safest and most appropriate place for urgent care.
Hospital leaders said Ascension Providence will continue monitoring the situation and adjusting its policies as needed, balancing the resumption of routine and elective care with its ongoing readiness plans to respond to any surge in COVID-19 patients.