Table 2.

Selected considerations important for guiding decisions surrounding a staged reduction in surgical services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Public health concerns	Patient concerns	Healthcare system concerns
•Extent of community transmission	•Risk for mortality for nosocomial infection •Comorbidities confounding screening (eg, tracheostomy) •Urgency of surgical indication •Health impact(s) if procedure postponed/canceled	•Availability of PPE, both general surgical masks and COVID-19–resistant air-purifying masks/head coverings •Availability of blood bank resources •Availability and health of surgical teams •Surgeon •Anesthesiologist •Specialty consultative clinicians •Surgical assistance •Nursing support •Custodial and sterile-processing staff •Room capacity •Operating suites with negative pressure capabilities •Preoperative areas •Postoperative areas •Inpatient rooms •Emergency department

COVID-19, coronavirus disease 2019; PPE, personal protection equipment.

Weber LeBrun. COVID-19 pandemic: staged management of surgical services for gynecology and obstetrics. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2020.