St. Clair Hospital Resumes Elective Testing and Surgical Procedures

Mt. LEBANON, Pa. – St. Clair Hospital this week resumed elective testing and diagnostic procedures for patients at its main campus and its Village Square Outpatient Center. Elective surgeries will resume on Monday, May 11.

The resumption of all medically necessary care follows guidance, issued by the Pennsylvania Secretary of Health on Monday, April 27, that hospitals across the state may resume the performance of elective care while considering a ‘roadmap’ issued by the American Hospital Association in conjunction with several medical and nursing professional associations.

In a communication sent on Wednesday, May 6, St. Clair recommended to its patients that essential medical care not be further delayed, and outlined numerous actions the Hospital is taking to keep its patients safe.  Key among these actions is the use of screening and testing protocols developed by its clinical experts with guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as well as St. Clair’s clinical partner, Mayo Clinic.  Other key actions address steps to maintain a clean and safe environment: continued restrictions on visitors; promotion of social distancing; and the use of masks and other personal protection equipment (PPE) to safeguard patients and staff.

Also, as of Monday, May 4, St. Clair’s affiliated multispecialty group, St. Clair Medical Services, resumed providing routine in-office care, along with its continued use of telemedicine. St. Clair Medical Services has more than 130 physicians in the group, practicing at more than 35 sites across the South Hills. The offices will likewise have enhanced protections for returning patients.

In its communication to patients, St. Clair stressed the danger of ‘late presentation’ of serious illness, while recognizing that patients need to feel safe in coming to its facilities for care.  On Thursday, April 30, the Leapfrog Group, the nation’s leading watchdog for patient safety, again gave St. Clair a hospital safety grade of ‘A’, marking eight consecutive years of receiving the highest grade possible.  The grade reflects a composite score of how well hospitals protect patients from harm, including avoiding hospital-acquired infections.  St. Clair is the region’s only hospital, and among just the best 2 percent in the country, to receive a hospital safety grade of ‘A’ for eight consecutive years from the Leapfrog Group.