PHOENIX – On Wednesday, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey told reporters during a press conference that if they were “looking for a headline today, that headline would be elective surgeries have resumed in Arizona effective May 1. Ducey brushed off questions about reopening the rest of Arizona’s businesses.
The announcement was met with mixed reviews.
Thank you??? This is a bullshiggity first step. How about no steps! How about the mom and pops going back to work along with big business? https://t.co/lORP7JlKvG
— James T Harris (@JamesTHarris) April 22, 2020
Ducey issued the new executive order removing restrictions on conducting elective surgeries for hospitals, health care facilities and providers that meet certain preparedness criteria.
Under the new order, hospitals, dental offices and other health facilities can resume conducting elective surgeries on May 1 if they can show they have implemented measures intended to keep health care workers and patients safe. These include:
Demonstrating greater than a 14 day supply of PPE;
Ensuring adequate staffing and beds;
Testing patients prior to surgery and all at-risk health care workers;
Ensuring appropriate discharge plans for patients being transferred to nursing care facilities, including diagnostic testing for COVID-19;
Implementing a universal symptom screening process for staff, patients, and visitors;
Establishing an enhanced cleaning process for waiting areas;
And prioritizing the restart of elective surgeries based on urgency.
Facilities that meet the specified standards will need to receive approval from the Department of Health Services before resuming elective surgeries. The order shall be considered for repeal or revision every two weeks.
Ducey signed an executive order last month prohibiting elective surgeries. It took effect on March 21 and was implemented to conserve personal protective equipment for use by medical workers treating coronavirus patient.
Ducey said that as far as the executive order and its restrictions on other businesses, he may extend it, modify it, or let it expire.