TAMPA, Florida – (July 8, 2020) – HCA Healthcare West Florida Division hospitals in Hillsborough, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee, Sarasota and Charlotte counties will delay certain inpatient surgeries and procedures, effective Saturday, July 11, to free up capacity for COVID patients. This change does not affect hospital-based outpatient surgeries or procedures, nor those performed at HCA Healthcare Ambulatory Surgery Centers.
“The number of COVID cases in our hospitals are increasing daily, and we need to ensure that our caregivers and hospitals are in a position to provide safe, effective, and compassionate care to our patients. We will continue to monitor the situation closely, making adjustments as necessary,” said Ravi Chari, M.D., president of HCA Healthcare West Florida Division.
Blake Medical Center, Brandon Regional Hospital, Citrus Memorial Hospital, Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Englewood Community Hospital, Fawcett Memorial Hospital, Medical Center of Trinity, Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Oak Hill Hospital, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, and South Bay Hospital are working with surgeons to identify appropriate patients for postponement of procedures that typically require a post-surgical inpatient stay. Patients whose procedures will be delayed will be contacted by their surgeon.
“Delaying surgical cases that can appropriately be postponed allows us to safely and quickly expand capacity,” explained Dr. Chari. “I want to emphasize that our ERs remain safe and open for anyone experiencing a medical emergency and we will continue to work with other healthcare providers and local and state government agencies to meet the needs of the communities we serve.”
On Monday, July 6, the HCA Healthcare West Florida Division delayed the same inpatient surgeries and procedures for our hospitals in Pinellas County including Largo Medical Center, Northside Hospital, Palms of Pasadena Hospital, and St. Petersburg General Hospital.
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About HCA Healthcare West Florida
HCA Healthcare West Florida provides a complete continuum of high quality programs and services to meet the healthcare needs of residents and businesses throughout west Florida, caring for more than 1.2 million patients last year. HCA West Florida includes 15 hospitals, 27 ER locations, 13 ambulatory surgery centers, numerous physician practices, graduate medical education programs, a regional lab, and consolidated service center. Our hospitals include Blake Medical Center, Brandon Regional Hospital, Citrus Memorial Hospital, Doctors Hospital of Sarasota, Englewood Community Hospital, Fawcett Memorial Hospital, Largo Medical Center, Medical Center of Trinity, Memorial Hospital of Tampa, Northside Hospital, Oak Hill Hospital, Palms of Pasadena Hospital, Regional Medical Center Bayonet Point, South Bay Hospital and St. Petersburg General Hospital. HCA West Florida is affiliated with HCA Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading providers of healthcare services. With its founding in 1968, HCA Healthcare created a new model for hospital care in the United States, using combined resources to strengthen hospitals, deliver patient-focused care and improve the practice of medicine.