CHRISTUS Santa Rosa – San Marcos To Resume Elective Procedures, Surgeries

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos began preparing Wednesday to resume elective procedures and surgeries, April 22, consistent with the provisions of Governor Greg Abbott’s executive order on April 17.

“We are working with physicians now to reschedule their patients for medical and surgical procedures they were forced to postpone due to the initial order,” CHRISTUS officials said. “While we all understand the reason these procedures had to be postponed, waiting has imposed a hardship on many of these patients. Many of these patients can no longer delay care for heart disease, cancer, pain, and other health conditions that need to be addressed.”

CHRISTUS said by coordinating with our medical staff to resume elective procedures, we are working to avoid the surge in illness and suffering that can result from deferred or delayed care.

“The medical interventions that have been deferred are often tied to a patient’s quality of life,” explains Thomas McKinney, President, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos. “In many cases, these medical procedures will improve quality of life, reduce pain, or even help patients live longer. Because of that, it is important that we get these patients back under our care, as quickly as possible. However, as we’ve always done, we must ensure the safety of our patients, associates and physicians is a top priority,” said McKinney.

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System practices infection prevention every day. In addition, the system recently announced that it is leading San Antonio and surrounding communities, by offering antibody testing for some patients, associates and physicians.

This new screening tool allows the hospital to test these groups for antibodies related to the COVID-19 virus, helping it to identify how each patient should receive care and how to keep its caregivers safe.

CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health System said it has been planning over the last several weeks to resume elective procedures and provide the “non-COVID care” needed to keep people within its community safe and healthy.

In order to keep all who enter our facilities safe, the system continues to have these following precautions in place:

• Limiting visitors;
• Screening everyone to include temperature checks who comes through our doors;
• Isolating COVID-19 patients within the facility;
• Requiring everyone on our campuses to wear masks, patients and visitors not showing signs of symptoms are encouraged to bring their own mask;
• Using telemedicine to treat active COVID-19 patients, so caregivers and support staff may limit the number of times they enter their rooms.

“CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital – San Marcos is answering the call to help our community – today and tomorrow. In all that we do, we are devoted to keeping patients, their families, our caregivers and our associates safe. We are here when you need care, and we are ready,” McKinney said.