Sovah Health pausing elective surgeries due to COVID-19

DANVILLE, Va. (WDBJ) - Sovah Health has announced it will reschedule elective and non-urgent surgical cases and procedures, according to the hospital.

“We’re disappointed to find ourselves in this position again,” said Spencer Thomas, CEO of SOVAH Health Martinsville.

“It’s unfortunate that we must again take this action to pause elective surgeries,” said Dr. Sheranda Gunn-Nolan, Sovah Health Market Chief Medical Officer. “We would also like to acknowledge the tireless work our team has provided to what equates to over 600 days of a global pandemic. Together, we will get through this.”

The decision comes as hospital systems across the commonwealth are seeing another surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.

“Big picture statewide, we are at a one day record of 3,329 COVID hospitalizations today,” said Julian Walker, VP of Communications for Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association.

404 of the hospitalizations being in Southwest Virginia, compared to 204 in early December.

With healthcare systems being pushed to their limits again, experts are pleading with the public to do their part.

“One day we’re going to have a moment, in an hour of need, and we’re going to need to visit a hospital. We want to have the assurance that that hospital is gonna have capacity to accommodate us, to accommodate our loved one and we all have a shared stake in making sure that continues to be the case,” said Walker.

Experts stressing that vaccinations and masking continue to be our best defense in the fight against the pandemic.

“We’re in yet another surge and these will continue unless changes are made,” said Dr. Gunn-Nolan.

With each surge taking a toll on frontline healthcare workers.

“We are still here taking care of patients but it is causing a toll. I won’t be dishonest in saying we’re all fine, we’re just moving forward, it is frustrating. We’ve been spending a lot of time in the last six months, maybe longer around resilience and helping people cope with things that can be very frustrating, so we’d appreciate some help from the community,” said Alan Larson, Market President for SOVAH Health and CEO of SOVAH Health Danville.

The SOVAH Health pause on elective and non-urgent surgeries will be for at least two weeks. Leaders hope to resume everything on January 24th, but will evaluate where they are at that time.

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