Surge in coronavirus hospitalizations again leads North Bay hospitals to delay elective surgeries

A virus surge that’s strained North Bay hospital resources is forcing some to postpone elective surgeries.

One of those health care systems, Kaiser Permanente, said in a statement yesterday that its medical centers, including in Santa Rosa and San Rafael, is seeing a rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations that is significantly higher than its previous peak in June.

“Given the impact of COVID-19 on health care systems, we have postponed elective and non-urgent surgeries and procedures that take place in our main hospital operating rooms through January 4 at our Northern California facilities,” according to the Kaiser statement. “We are not postponing cancer cases or other urgent/emergent surgeries and procedures.”

Kaiser said it continues to monitor the situation to ensure there are enough resources, capacity and staff available. It also is keeping a close watch on ICU bed volume, which fluctuates.

“Because Kaiser Permanente is a fully integrated health care system, we can accommodate patients, if needed, from one Kaiser Permanente medical center that is heavily impacted to other Kaiser Permanente sites that are less so,” Kaiser stated.

Sutter Health, which operates Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital and Novato Community Hospital, said in a statement yesterday it’s admitting more patients but holding off on any scheduling changes for now.

“However, the volumes … have not required activation of either hospital’s surge plan, which, if activated, can include measures such as temporarily postponing some procedures that can safely be postponed,” a Sutter Health spokesperson stated. “Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital and Novato Community Hospital continue to carefully monitor the data and will adjust operations accordingly to continue providing access to care while managing staffing, resources and capacity.”

St. Joseph Health Northern California said in a statement that Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital has reduced some elective surgeries on a case-by-case basis, depending on factors that include current demand on inpatient beds, COVID-19 census and staffing.

“Physicians and clinical staff are reviewing our status daily and even hourly, including last-minute cancelations,” according to the statement.

St. Joseph Health also said Queen of the Valley Medical Center in Napa has no statement at this time.

In Solano County, NorthBay Healthcare Group is making changes as needed.

“For many weeks during the most recent surge, our perioperative and nursing teams have managed to continue most elective surgeries,” said Aimee Brewer, president of NorthBay Healthcare Group. “But last weekend our hospitals experienced an influx of patients from the state prison in Vacaville, along with patients from David Grant Medical Center on Travis Air Force Base. Consequently, we made the decision to postpone until at least Jan. 8 any elective surgery that would require an inpatient bed. Surgeries that are emergent will safely continue.”

The health system’s outpatient surgery center in Vacaville remains fully operational, Brewer noted, and its patients receive a COVID-19 test prior to a surgery or procedure.

“The post-Thanksgiving surge in cases in Solano County put NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield, where COVID-19 patients are isolated and treated, at or near capacity every day since,” said Steve Huddleston, vice president of public affairs. “Our ICU capacity is quite low and we have initiated surge plans that have added critical-care beds in our acute-care units. Our entire staff has done extraordinary work in adapting and implementing these emergency measures.”

MarinHealth Medical Center is not postponing any surgeries or procedures at this time, spokeswoman Jamie Maites said in an emailed statement.

“Patients are admitted and discharged throughout the day, which is why we assess capacity nearly every hour,” Maites said, adding the hospital is “making every effort possible to avoid any disruptions.”

This story has been updated to include a statement from St. Joseph Health Northern California.