Governor Jay Inslee, right, talks with Incident Commander for the Washington State Department of Health, Nathan Weed, left, while visiting a potential COVID-19 quarantine and isolation site at Maple Lane earlier this month.
On Thursday Gov. Jay Inslee announced new restrictions on non-urgent medical and dental procedures to preserve enough protective equipment for Washington health care workers treating patients with coronavirus.
“We know the health care personal protective equipment supply chain in Washington has been severely disrupted by the significant increased use of such equipment worldwide,” Inslee said. “We will do all we can to protect the women and men who protect us.”
The order applies to any non-urgent procedure that requires medical professionals to wear personal protective equipment. It will apply to all hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, and dental, orthodontic and endodontic offices in Washington. The governor’s proclamation makes clear that this restriction does not apply to treatment for patients with emergency and urgent needs.
Doctors can perform an elective surgery if delaying the surgery would cause harm to the patient within the next three months.
Banned procedures include most joint replacements, most cataract and lens surgeries, non-urgent cardiac procedures, cosmetic procedures, some endoscopy and some interventional radiology services.
This order does not apply to patients with heart attacks, strokes or motor vehicle accidents. Hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers may perform surgery as long as a delay or cancelation would worsen the patient’s condition.
“We’ve come together to make intense sacrifices over the past week or two,” Inslee said. “And I thank all of you for what you’re doing. Today’s crucial announcement is another way we can protect the health of our communities and families, and slow the spread of this virus so our health care systems have a fighting chance to catch up and continue keeping us healthy.”
