ST. LOUIS — The Mercy hospital system said it is making preparations to return, gradually, to normal operations.
Over the last few weeks, area hospitals have made changes to the way they operate in an effort to slow the spread of the coronavirus. Those changes included altering visitor policies, halting elective procedures and developing testing and treatment procedures to identify and treat COVID-19 patients.
RELATED: St. Louis area hospitals to halt elective procedures starting March 23 to focus on coronavirus
In a press release, Mercy said it is working to set up a plan that would return the system to normal operations.
"Today, Mercy is making plans for a graduated return to normal operations. We look forward to restarting select procedures and diagnostics soon, provided our patients and caregivers will be safe and virus transmission risks will be lowered," the release said.
The release did not provide any specific dates for when certain procedures may return and said the safety of the patients, families and workers would be the most important factor when making the decisions.
During the process of the rollout, Mercy expects to continue COVID-19 measures like visitor limitations, screening for symptoms and social distancing.
"Our social distancing and quarantine efforts appear to be working, and that’s truly worth celebrating," the release said.
Until the gradual return to normal operations, Mercy is still providing the following services:
- Video, telephone, and in-person visits for primary, pediatric and specialty care
- Stroke, cardiology and injury care at our ER
- Urgent but non-emergency care at Mercy-GoHealth urgent care locations, including video visits
