Our Lady of the Lake continues to provide safe and effective surgical care.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to ease restrictions on the types of surgeries permitted nationwide. In general, anyone whose condition is causing pain or disrupts daily living can seek surgical care at Our Lady of the Lake.
Our staff has been on the cutting edge of providing advanced, safe care throughout the pandemic. For example, specially trained and equipped teams provide all the care and support for patients with COVID-19, and those patients are cared for in designated, separate areas.
We’ve adopted additional procedures and safeguards for our surgery patients. Here’s an overview of what to expect. As always, contact your provider if you have any questions or concerns.
Before Surgery
- Before your scheduled surgery, a clinical team member will call to screen the patient for symptoms of COVID-19.
- Patients will receive guidance on how to limit their exposure to infection in the days before surgery, including how to self-quarantine, masking and proper sterilization at home.
- Patients who show possible signs of infection will be referred immediately for testing at an Our Lady of the Lake testing facility.
- For high risk procedures, COVID testing may be ordered. COVID testing is completed two to four days prior to surgery. The patient’s provider will communicate the need for such testing if it is needed plus instructions about when and where to go.
The Day of Surgery
- Patients will report for their procedure to a designated screening area where they’ll once again be checked for symptoms, including fever.
- One person can accompany surgery patients, and they too will be screened for symptoms.
- Surgery patients will be treated by separate clinical staff than those designated for treating patients with COVID-19. Patients who are infected remain isolated and are treated in special areas set aside for their care.
- As additional precautions, specially trained team members frequently and thoroughly sterilize all operating rooms, treatment areas and patient rooms using state-of-the-art processes.
After Surgery
- Surgery patients will be allowed one visitor following their procedure, and they’ll also be screened for symptoms before they can enter. If the patient is being discharged after the procedure, that visitor is allowed in the post-operative area and should be the designated driver for the patient.
- For surgery patients being admitted after surgery, his or her visitor can stay to visit the patient and to receive an update from the surgeon before he or she is transported to a patient room. The visitor may not stay after the patient is transported to a patient room.
- Patients who are admitted to the hospital after their procedure will stay in patient rooms designated for surgical recovery.
- After patients are discharged, a team member will call them at home to once again screen for symptoms to help ensure a successful recovery.
Safe Surgery:
Dr. Kelly Finan