Author: Cailyn Schiltz

Madison hospitals say that they might have to limit non-emergency surgical procedures to open up space for COVID-19 patients from the recent spike. 

In a joint release, UW Health, SSM Health and UnityPoint Health-Meriter say they are evaluating their schedules for non-emergency and non-urgent surgeries, and that some may have to be postponed or pushed back to a later date. Affected patients will be affected directly. 

Channel 3000 reports that emergency surgeries such as c-sections, appendectomies, and bone fracture repair will still be taking place.

Limiting non-urgent surgeries will free up valuable bed space and staff to tend to the growing number of COVID-19 patients hospitals are seeing. 

Hospitals in South Central Wisconsin are at 81% capacity as of Thursday. A total of 119 people were hospitalized on Thursday, marking an 11% increase, according to the Department of Health Services. 

Hospitals will continually reevaluate their scheduled procedures as the pandemic develops and cases fluctuate. They urge the community to care for themselves and one another by wearing face coverings, washing hands frequently and physically distancing from others.