South Pima News

Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital is optimistic about the future now that hospitals in Arizona will be allowed to resume elective surgeries. 

“We’re hoping we can get back on the winning track we were on before COVID-19 hit,” Santa Cruz Valley Regional Hospital CEO Kelly Adams told Green Valley News. “We had scores of surgeries just waiting to come into the hospital.”

Gov. Doug Ducey issued an executive order enabling hospitals, dental offices and other health facilities to conduct elective surgeries if they implement certain actions that would ensure the safety of patients and health care workers.

These measures include having a universal symptom screening process for staff, patients, visitors, testing patients and at-risk health care workers. It includes having more than a two-week supply of personal protective equipment and enhancing the cleaning process of waiting areas. Facilities must obtain approval from the Department of Health Services prior to resuming elective surgeries.

Santa Cruz Valley Regional recently received a $3.5 million state grant to help them with their financial struggles due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hospital was previously given $636,000 from the federal CARES Act and $6.5 million in advance Medicare payments.

While Adams originally said the funds would only be enough to get the hospital through the next several weeks, he said the resumption of elective surgeries will help in the longterm.

“It looks like we’ll be OK now,” Adams said.

In addition to restarting elective surgeries, the Green Valley Hospital is currently waiting to hear back from two federal programs that it applied for including the Paycheck Protection Program.

The Arizona Department of Health Services reports that there have been more than 7,900 coronavirus cases in the state and 320 deaths related to the virus. More than 1,000 of Arizona’s cases led to hospitalization.