Kankakee Times

Despite Gov. J.B. Pritzker extending his statewide stay-at-home order, several local hospitals are now planning on resuming procedures the governor deems to be "non-essential."

The Daily Journal reports that Riverside Medical Center and AMITA Health St. Mary’s Hospital planned to resume such services in May. Since late March, such procedures have been banned at hospitals across the state after Pritzker enacted his stay-at-home policy as part of his overall effort to slow the spread of the deadly COVID-19 virus and to make hospitals more readily available to treat patients inflicted by it.

“People are fearful. That’s understandable,” said Nancy Crossett, director of surgical services at St. Mary’s. “I know our surgeons have already been reaching out and letting their patients know that procedures cannot wait forever. We will provide a safe, clean environment.”

Crossett added procedures will be ranked based on their impact on quality of life, with cancer biopsies topping the list of those to be first performed. In the beginning, procedures are expected to resume on a limited basis, with St. Mary’s officials estimating that they envision performing about ten a day.

Riverside President and CEO Phil Kambic conceded there may be a few kinks to work out.

“We are facing the question of ‘How do we open up safely?” he said. “How do we deal with people whose conditions may have worsened? People are afraid to come in, but we need to be treating these chronic illnesses.”