Surgeries

Surgeries and COVID-19

When our nation began taking steps to fight the COVID-19 virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other medical organizations recommended interim cancellation of elective surgical procedures. The objective was to free up as many hospital beds as possible to handle the expected high volume of COVID patients.

But now that we have moved past those early, uncertain days, our normal surgical schedule has resumed, albeit with additional safety precautions to protect our patients and our medical personnel. 

Your Safety is Our Main Concern

We have implemented the following practices and procedures to combat transmission of COVID-19 infection and continue to provide high-quality surgical care to Riverside County.

Outpatient Procedures

Our new outpatient center provides state-of-the-art clinical and surgical care spaces, allowing for visits and surgeries away from the main hospital. All patients and care providers are required to wear masks while in the care center.

Since those who test positive for the virus and have surgery are at higher risk for complications, patients scheduled for procedures and surgeries are required to have testing for COVID-19 within three days of an operation. If you test positive, we may reschedule your surgery 6-8 weeks later to help protect you and ensure a safe and speedy recovery.

Hospital Surgeries

Our hospital operating rooms are maintained to provide clean and safe operating environments, with all personnel wearing PPE that meets national standards for safety.

Patients who stay overnight will be housed in private patient rooms with staff wearing masks at all times. Patients admitted to the hospital are also required to wear masks, with limited exception for severe lung conditions that limit tolerance of face coverings.

Post-operative visits may be conducted by telephone or video conferencing to improve patient convenience and to limit risk of exposure.