Nebraska hospital system to resume delayed surgeries

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska hospital system has announced it will begin resuming non-emergency surgeries and procedures that had been postponed last month due to a surge in COVID-19 cases.

Beginning Monday, Nebraska Medicine will move out of its “crisis standard of care” plan enacted on Jan. 13, the health system said in a statement Friday. The plan, which put a hold on most non-emergency procedures, was made as the omicron variant of the coronavirus saw a spike in demand for hospital beds and led to staff shortages as medical personnel themselves became infected or had to care for family members who were ill.

In the past week, there has been an overall decrease in COVID-19 admissions, Nebraska Medicine said, and the number of staff members in isolation and quarantine has also decreased significantly.

The system says it’s now contacting those patients who saw procedures put on hold and is working to reschedule them.