FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Elizabeth McCown
Director of Risk & Legal Affairs/Public Information Officer
Guadalupe Regional Medical Center emccown@grmedcenter.com
830.401.7314

[Seguin, Texas] April 21, 2020 — On Friday, April 17, 2020, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued executive orders relaxing prohibitions on performance of elective surgical procedures during the COVID-19 disaster. The purpose of the prohibition was to conserve personal protective equipment (masks, gowns, gloves, and facemasks) that are needed to care for COVID-19 patients.

Guadalupe County has reported a total of 63 confirmed cases of COVID-19 patients and 40 of those patients have recovered. Fortunately, our region has not seen surges of COVID-19 patients that have tested hospital capacity in other areas.

Guadalupe Regional Medical Center has been closely monitoring it’s supply of personal protective equipment and has adequate amounts available to re-open its operating room for elective surgical procedures. On Tuesday, April 22, 2020, Guadalupe Regional Medical Center operating room will resume scheduling elective surgical procedures. In accordance with guidance from the American College of Surgeons we will begin performing elective procedures at approximately 25% of our usual volume to ensure that we maintain adequate bed and supply availability to treat COVID-19 patients.

Decisions about surgery will continue to be determined by those surgeons who have direct responsibility to their patients. If you have postponed a surgical procedure you can call your physician’s office to discuss when you should schedule your operation.

Our no visitor policy continues (with exceptions for special patient populations). One visitor will be allowed only for the following circumstances: Childbirth, End of Life, parent of pediatric patients, goodbye visit of military personnel departing for deployment, and one designated caregiver for patients who are not capable of making their own medical decisions. Out-patient surgery patients will need to arrange to be dropped off and picked up.

Visitors will continue to be screened for travel, fever, and respiratory symptoms and no visitors under the age of 13 allowed. The Patient Tower entrance remains closed and we continue to process patients through the Central and ER entrances. The Central tower entrance is open Monday-Friday 6am-6pm and the ER entrance is open 24 hours a day.

COVID-19 is a serious situation and continues to evolve. GRMC will continue to evaluate and respond to provide the best and safest care possible in these challenging times.