Conway hospital suspending elective surgeries as coronavirus cases surge in area
Conway Medical Center announced Sunday that it is temporarily halting elective surgeries beginning Monday because of the surge of coronavirus in the area.
At that time CMC will only medically-urgent and emergent surgeries, the hospital stated in a news release. CMC administrators plan to monitor the situation as circumstances change. The surgical suspension could be extended beyond two weeks if warranted.
“This decision was not made lightly. We understand these surgical postponements and the visitor restrictions can be an inconvenience, but this is for the health and safety of our patients, staff, and the overall community. The temporary stoppage will hopefully allow time for our community to heal,” Bret Barr, CEO and President of CMC, said in a prepared statement.
CMC will continue to limit patient visitors to those involved in end-of-life events, associated with The Birthplace and those seeing child patients (which is limited to one visitor).
Those arriving for appointments with physicians can only enter through the Patient Services entrance or the Medical Arts Building entrance. The main entrance is closed, so emergency patients should enter through the Emergency Department after being screened.
Conway Medical Center continues to screen all employees and patients and requires them to wear masks while in the hospital.
“We continue to urge everyone to wear a mask, practice social distancing, and wash your hands. These are the most important weapons we have to fight this virus,” Dr. Paul Richardson, CMC Chief Medical Officer, said in a prepared statement.
DHEC has announced 1,311 coronavirus cases in Horry County so far this week. The Department of Health and Environmental Control stated Sunday that in South Carolina 2,890 inpatient hospital beds are available and 7,721 are in use, which equates to a 72.76 percent utilization rate.
