Life Healthcare denies continuing with ‘non-urgent’ surgeries

Life Healthcare hospitals denied claims that doctors at its Groenkloof hospital, east of Pretoria, were flouting regulations by continuing with non-urgent surgeries during the previous level 5 national lockdown, reports Rekord East.

This comes after a patient at the hospital, who asked to remain anonymous, claimed that surgeons were continuing with elective procedures despite an order by the department of health for all hospitals to stop.

 “Elective surgeries were continuing as normal at the hospital and it was a bit concerning,” he said.

“I read somewhere that the hospital claims to have stopped, but that’s not true.”

The patient said he had witnessed how a doctor refused to wait for a patient’s Covid-19 test results and insisting on going ahead with surgery.

He said he was concerned that patients and staff members’ lives were being risked.

Life Healthcare hospitals general manager for emergency medicine Dr Charl van Loggerenberg said no elective surgeries were taking place at any of its hospitals.

 “We have followed the guidelines put out by the South African Society of Anaesthesiologists in March which stated that normal elective surgery should be postponed under the current circumstances,” he said.

“We can confirm that no elective surgery was done at the hospital as claimed.”

Van Loggerenberg said claims that doctors were not waiting for Covid-19 test results before performing surgery was not true.

“Doctors are required to follow Covid-19 testing criteria as per NICD guidelines and utilise test results to guide treatment,” he said.

He also denied claims that student doctors were made to work during this period.

“As per governance guidelines, the hospital manager is required to approve all applications for students to work in the hospital. We can confirm that no student doctors were approved for the past five months.

Van Loggerenberg said each hospital had an active multidisciplinary Covid-19 committee which, together with hospital management, considered and planned for the hospital during this period.

As a result of the Level 4 lockdown, Life Healthcare has decided to resume necessary surgeries following the relaxation of the hard lockdown.

“We welcome the opportunity to gradually resume certain services for our patients in a safe manner,” he said.

He said the hospital had very few Covid-19 admissions and none at the moment.

“All Life Healthcare hospitals and their multidisciplinary Covid-19 committees will be provided with a step-by-step process on how to gradually and carefully reintroduce normal operations and medical service to patients.”

The guidance has been based on the input received from numerous doctor professional societies, pathology groups, hospital Covid-19 committees, supporting doctors as well as international best practices.

“Doctors remain responsible for managing the criteria and indications for admission of their patients.

“We will continually review the situation at each of our hospitals to assess the risks as well as to identify and share best practice in the interests of doctors, patients, our staff, and supporting service personnel,” he said.

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