Cleveland-based hospitals Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth and University Hospitals announced in a joint statement Dec. 3 that some surgeries will be postponed due to a surge of COVID-19 cases in the region.
All three systems are experiencing increased volumes of patients. Ninety percent of the COVID-19 patients in ICUs are unvaccinated, according to the hospitals.
Cleveland Clinic is temporarily halting the scheduling of nonurgent inpatient surgeries requiring a hospital bed in all Ohio locations, except Euclid and Lutheran Hospitals, Dec. 6 through Jan. 3. The system announced Dec. 7 nonessential surgeries will be postponed beginning Dec. 8 through Dec. 17.
MetroHealth is postponing some nonurgent surgeries.
University Hospitals is rescheduling some nonurgent surgeries requiring short inpatient stays. The facility will continue to perform urgent surgeries and outpatient surgeries and procedures not involving overnight stays.
Editor's Note: This piece was updated Dec. 8 to reflect a new statement from Cleveland Clinic.