CMS released guidelines on April 19, detailing how healthcare facilities may resume performing elective procedures in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
CMS had issued recommendations in March, advising hospitals and other healthcare facilities to limit nonessential care to conserve critical supplies and shift all capacity to COVID-19 patient care. The new guidelines provide a list of actions hospitals should take to resume nonessential services, including: continuing to work with state and local public health offices; evaluating nonessential care based on community need; maintaining adequate supplies, resources, and medications necessary for all phases of COVID-19 care; screening workforce staff for symptoms of COVID-19; ensuring sanitization of facilities and equipment utilized by COVID-19 patients; and screening all patients in non-COVID-19 areas for symptoms prior to entry.