St. Luke’s University Health Network resumed elective surgery and certain other related procedures May 11 at its Pennsylvania hospitals and facilities.

“Our hospitals are safe, and we are ready for you,” said William R. Burfeind, MD, St. Luke’s University Health Network Chairman of Surgery.

St. Luke’s Infectious Disease experts have determined that the “stay-at-home” measures put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus have proven effective in the Lehigh Valley region and that elective surgeries and associated diagnostic and imaging studies may proceed with certain safeguards.

The change does not apply to St. Luke’s Warren Campus, which is on a separate New Jersey timetable.

Universal masking and social-distancing measures will remain in place in offices.

Patient appointments will continue to be spaced out to reduce the flow of traffic.

Additionally:

• If a surgery requires a hospital stay, the patient will be on a floor with no known COVID-19 patients.

• The nurses and staff taking care of surgery patients will not take care of COVID-19 patients at the same time.

• Patients undergoing surgery will be COVID-19-tested, helping to maintain a COVID-19-free surgical environment.

“Our surgeons are looking forward to resuming an expanded array of elective procedures,” Burfeind said. “Our priority is and will always be the safety of our patients.”