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March 19, 2020

COVID-19: Guidance for Triage of Non-Emergent Surgical Procedures

It is considered safer and more reasonable to perform surgical procedure electively rather than emergently when possible. However,an elective procedure that is delayed turn in to an emergent situation at any given time. With the rapid development healthcare professionals are facing hourly related to the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), the American College of Surgeons (ACS) has provided guidance on the management of non-emergent operations. The guidance recognizes that it is often difficult to define the urgency of a surgical procedure solely on the designation that the surgery is elective. ACS recommends that surgeons and facilities consider three factors in determining if a surgery can be safely delayed: 1) the medical need of the patient and need for the procedure; 2) the logistical capability of the facility; and 3) the evolving national, regional, and local conditions.