A Pittsburgh-based hospital system faces growing dissension from hundreds of its doctors over its controversial decision to continue routine clinic visits and certain elective surgeries in the face of COVID-19 via nycsouthpaw
Nearly 300 medical residents, fellows and attending physicians at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center signed an open letter to administrators of the $21 billion nonprofit hospital system and insurer, which owns 40 hospitals and hundreds of clinical locations and outpatient facilities — principally in Pennsylvania, but with outposts in Ireland, Italy and China.
While the doctors stressed the immediate issues of arresting the spread of COVID-19 and preserving limited resources, UPMC’s administrators appear more focused on putting the hospital on a long-term footing. An elective procedure is one that can be scheduled in advance, though that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s optional. “People use the word ‘elective,’ and the public thinks that’s cosmetic,” Adalja said, pointing out that elective procedures range from cosmetic procedures to operations for life-threatening conditions, like biopsies to detect cancer. As they cope with the COVID-19 outbreak, “hospitals need to look at the needs of the patient population they serve,” Adalja said.
In a separate email, Gregory Bump, UPMC’s chair of graduate medical education, wrote to residents and fellows that “elective surgeries should be continued to maintain the health of patients with time sensitive surgeries.” “We have a responsibility to the public to provide care — even at risk of personal harm,” the UPMC administrators wrote, adding, “If you feel your personal health requires you to stop practicing while COVID-19 is uncontrolled for reasons of co-morbidity or age we are supportive.” The administrators did not address whether health care workers’ concerns about inadequate testing or equipment shortages would receive the same support.
To back up their decision, the UPMC administrators cited a recent survey that showed only five confirmed COVID-19 cases among 950 subjects in the Pittsburgh area. They also reported that “across the UPMC system, 28 symptomatic patients have tested positive, with four of those people currently hospitalized.”
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