Mercy Hospitals Postpone Elective Surgery with Overnight Stays

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Mercy Health – Youngstown announced Monday afternoon that it is “indefinitely postponing all elective procedures that require an overnight stay,” effect Nov. 26, Thanksgiving.

The decision was made “after careful assessment and deliberation,” Mercy said in a statement, and is based on safeguarding the health of our patients, associates and the communities we serve.”

Mercy said it will continue to provide “emergency, non-emergent and elective care, when we can in accordance with state and federal guidelines.”

The statement concluded by listing safety protocols the hospital system has implemented. They include:

• Temporarily reducing the number of facility entry points to better protect the health and safety of all who enter.
• Visitor restrictions in place that ask people to not visit our facilities.
• Implementing social distancing guidelines, especially in public areas such as lobbies.
• Our associates are following PPE guidelines including wearing masks in all settings and wearing additional PPE on units where appropriate.
• In addition to normal cleanliness standards, environmental cleaning and disinfection procedures are being followed consistently and correctly, according to CDC recommendations for the COVID-19.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.