ACS updates recommendations for elective surgical procedures during COVID-19 outbreak

Editor's Note

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) on March 13 updated its recommendations for the management of elective surgical procedures during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Among the recommendations: Each hospital, healthcare system, and surgeon should:

• review all scheduled elective procedures with a plan to minimize, postpone, or cancel elective operations, endoscopies, or other invasive procedures until they are confident their infrastructures can support a rapid and overwhelming uptick in critical patient care needs
• immediately minimize the use of essential items that will be needed to care for patients, including ICU beds, personal protective equipment, terminal cleaning supplies, and ventilators
• be aware that there are asymptomatic patients who are shedding the virus and exposing inpatients, outpatients, and healthcare providers to the COVID-19 virus.