YRMC resumes elective surgeries

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The Yuma Regional Medical Center needed all hands on deck when the coronavirus was at its peak. That's why they decided to postpone elective surgeries.

Elective surgeries are more about quality of life, meaning the patients have pain that limits them from doing some activities.

Dr. Michael Tracy, a shoulder and elbow orthopedic surgeon at the Yuma Regional Medical Center, says they needed to save their resources for their frontline workers dealing with coronavirus patients.

"Part of the reason that we had the slow down of elective surgeries was to allow health care workers and healthcare systems to build up a stock of protective equipment and to make sure that the most valuable resources were being saved for those patients who need it the most," Dr. Tracy explained.

YRMC decided to put elective surgeries on hold on March 19. Once they felt the coronavirus was manageable in the hospital, patients were able to move forward with elective surgeries.

"We've now reached a point where the virus and its effect on the health system have decreased to the point where we have enough stock of protective equipment, we have enough staff to take care of patients who are no longer the sickest of the sick," Dr. Tracy said.

They resumed elective surgeries the week of August 18 and have done just under 500 surgeries so far.

One patient, Sonia Olivares, is grateful for Dr. Tracy's work. He recently made his way to Yuma as an orthopedic surgeon.

"[He's] the best thing to come to Yuma," Olivares exclaimed. " The Yuma Regional Medical Center - it's a good decision that Dr. Tracy stayed here in Yuma."

Patients are required to take a COVID-19 test before getting the surgery, meaning the process may take a week or two.

Tune in tonight on 13 On Your Side at 4 p.m. as of April Hettinger explains more about YRMC's decision to resume elective surgeries.