Coronavirus: Texas Bans Elective Surgeries Amid Illness Spikes

AUSTIN, TX — Responding to record-setting levels of the coronavirus across Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday issued an executive order barring elective surgeries in some parts of Texas to accommodate hospitalizations resulting from the respiratory illness.

The order suspends elective surgeries in Travis County as well as Bexar, Dallas and Harris counties. Under the order, the governor directs all hospitals in these counties to postpone all surgeries and procedures that are not immediately, medically necessary to correct a serious medical condition or to preserve the life of a patient who without immediate performance of the surgery or procedure would be at risk for serious adverse medical consequences or death, as determined by the patient’s physician.

Through proclamation, the governor noted he can add or subtract from the list of counties included in the Executive Order to address surges in hospitalizations that may arise in other parts of the state.

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“As Texas faces a rise in COVID-19 cases, we are focused on both slowing the spread of this virus and maintaining sufficient hospital capacity for COVID-19 patients,” Abbott said in a prepared statement. “These four counties have experienced significant increases in people being hospitalized due to COVID-19 and today’s action is a precautionary step to help ensure that the hospitals in these counties continue to have ample supply of available beds to treat COVID-19 patients."

View the Governor’s Executive Order

The move comes as Texas sets records for new coronavirus cases and related hospitalizations. On Wednesday, Texas Department of State Health Services officials logged an all-time high 5,551 new cases of respiratory illness — the biggest single-day spike on record for Texas.

"As we work to contain this virus, I urge all Texans to do their part to help contain the spread by washing their hands regularly, wearing a mask, and practicing social distancing," Abbott said.

The move marks the second time in as many months that the governor has banned elective surgeries, having previously implemented the measure on May 22. It's unclear if abortions are included in the list of now-banned procedures — part of the prohibition in the first iteration of the gubernatorial directive.

Related stories:

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• Abortions Among Elective Procedures Texas Stops Over Coronavirus
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Yet Abbott's step comes one day after hospital officials in Austin assured the public of ample space to accommodate a patient influx, even as respiratory illness rates continue to soar. Officials from Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health and St. David's HealthCare issued the following joint statement on Wednesday related to hospital capacity:

"The pandemic is an evolving situation, and we continue to monitor the increase in COVID-19 cases in our community. We currently have the capacity to treat all patients, including patients diagnosed with COVID-19, and we are able to quickly adapt to the needs of our patients and to the healthcare demands of our community.

"As previously shared by the state, Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White Health and St. David's HealthCare have a total of 3,250 licensed beds available for patients in our community. However, it is important to note the number of licensed beds is different than the number of staffed beds available. Licensed beds represent the total number of beds a hospital is licensed to operate. This number is typically higher than a hospital's staffed beds, which are those that are set up and ready for use, with the necessary staff in place to care for those patients.

"While we have the ability to surge to our number of licensed beds, it would require staffing that exceeds what we typically have available for daily operations. Given that all three of our healthcare systems are part of larger healthcare organizations, we have the ability to pull in necessary resources, including PPE and staff, should that be needed for us to surge to our full licensed capacity.

"At this time, the three healthcare systems have 2,470 staffed beds collectively, and occupancy of those staffed beds is at 71 percent. Collectively, the three healthcare systems have 483 ICU beds and occupancy of those ICU beds is currently at 70 percent.

"Our health systems are committed to providing capacity in these unusual times and collaborating closely with each other and with local and state leadership and public health experts. It is important to note that we have implemented new measures and protections in accordance with CDC guidance and recommendations by our clinical experts to provide our communities with peace of mind.

"However, if our hospitals reach a capacity where we cannot safely accommodate demand, while we will always make emergency care available, we may have to make changes, such as adjusting our staffing needs and limiting the services we are able to offer to patients. In some cases, we may transfer patients between facilities within our healthcare systems in order to provide the most appropriate care. We also support planning ahead to set up alternate care sites, and we are working with community leaders to plan for this potential need.

"The best way to decrease the spread of COVID-19 is to adhere to the guidelines put in place by local health officials. It is in the best interest of everyone throughout Central Texas to wear a mask when around people who aren't part of your household, practice good hand hygiene and engage in social distancing."

The situation is more dire in Houston, where the Texas Medical Center reports all intensive care unit beds are now being used as of Thursday. Still, hospital officials assured more beds are able to be added as patients can be transported to beds not typically used for critical care patients. According to the data, 28 percent of ICU patients are now being treated for the coronavirus illness.