UMass Memorial canceling elective procedures, planning testing program

Photo | Grant Welker UMass Medical School, left, and UMass Memorial Medical Center's University Campus

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By Grant Welker

UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester is canceling most elective procedures starting Monday to leave capacity for potential coronavirus cases at the hospital, days before a state-mandated order for all hospitals goes into effect.

UMass Memorial is developing a plan for a drive-thru testing program for coronavirus for patients who've been screened by a UMass Memorial practice and referred by a UMass Memorial physician for testing per specific clinical criteria. The hospital said it has also been making significant progress in planning how to handle patients under investigation for coronavirus onto designated medical-surgical and critical care units on both its Memorial and University campuses.

The postponement of elective procedures affects the University, Memorial, Hahnemann, and Eastern Avenue campuses, with the hospital deciding how to handle procedures for the following week in the coming days, according to a staff-wide memo.

"Physician leaders and providers are determining which procedures are truly elective and can be deferred without any negative impact on patients," the notice said.

Gov. Charlie Baker on Sunday ordered all non-essential elective surgeries to be postponed until further notice starting Wednesday. Facilities operated by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health or the Department of Mental Health must screen all visitors and limit visitation.

Hospitals must cancel non-essential elective surgeries until further notice starting Wednesday, and those operated by DPH or the state Department of Mental Health must screen all visitors and limit visitation. The governor said all assisted living facilities, including nursing homes, can no longer allow visitors, a step officials hope will limit transmission risk to especially vulnerable populations. Exceptions will be made for end-of-life and hospice care, and the restriction follows federal guidelines issued Friday.

As of Monday, all commercial health insurance carriers and the Group Insurance Commission will be required to cover all medically necessary telehealth services — treatment offered by doctors over the phone or a video conference — and pay the same rates as in-person care. They are prohibited from requiring cost-sharing or prior authorization for any COVID-19 telehealth treatment.

"Telemedicine is one of the most important things we need to divert care from hospitals and ambulatory sites from patients," said Marylou Sudders, who stepped aside from her usual duties running the health and human services secretariat to lead the state's coronavirus command center. "By enabling patients to remain at home, rapid treatment delivery can be provided, we can adhere to social distancing protocols, we can optimize efficiency and conserve resources."

The public health orders authorize certain pharmacies to create their own hand sanitizer and sell it over the counter to supplement stockpiles.