The pandemic has delayed several elective surgeries and beauty procedures as hospitals’ priorities lean toward providing quality care to patients inflicted with Covid-19. Health care professionals focused more on frontline work and have postponed several inpatient services. With the focus on treating Covid patients, many hospitals became understaffed as there were more patients than available doctors.
This is a contributed post and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Meet The Harris Family.
The postponement is also to slow down the spread of the virus that can be perpetrated to crowded clinics or close physical proximity between doctors and patients. Hospitals are also dreading the possibility that patients, their loved ones, and visitors can carry the virus and transmit it to other health workers.
Despite these challenges, life goes on, and you will have your beauty surgery in your chosen wellness center in no time. Here are some considerations to think about to safely and efficiently undergo such surgery.
Consider the availability of regional cooperation efforts in your area.
Does your region have the proper facilities, supplies, ventilators, personal protective equipment (PPE), ICU beds, and trained staff needed to carry out your chosen beauty surgery? The availability of these things would ensure that patients will be treated well and not have to undergo a crisis standard of care. The transportation sector is currently making adjustments to cope with the pandemic’s challenges, affecting local, state, and regional resources. Check if your government coordinates with the regional and national government to acquire provisions needed in your surgery.
Check whether your hospital provides Covid-19 testing within a facility.
Unlike how surgeries go in the past, recent operations require everybody involved to undergo Covid-19 testing. Choose a hospital that has testing facilities within the building. You might want to have a background check on the availability, accuracy, and current evidence of their existing test kits and facilities. How the medical facility responds to Covid-19 positive workers and patients is also vital information that you must know.
Get sufficient information on the hospital’s case prioritization and scheduling.
As many surgeries are postponed, hospitals have developed a prioritization policy committee that will arrange schedules thoroughly and ensure everybody on the waitlist is treated fairly. Health authorities make the prioritization list based on several factors like:
- objective priority scoring
- The available doctor’s priorities and expertise (cancer treatment, organ transplants, cardiac surgery, trauma, etc.)
- plans in deciding whether the surgery would take place at daytime or procedural time
- identification of available health care professionals and medical device representatives needed for the operation
- availability of inpatient hospital beds and intensive care beds and ventilators for the expected postoperative care
Ask questions on how a hospital intends to follow the five phases of surgical care.
Ideally, hospitals should have policies addressing patients’ care before, during, and after the surgery. Your questions should focus on these five phases in taking care of patients who underwent surgery.
- Phase I: Preoperative
- Phase II: Immediate Preoperative
- Phase III: Intraoperative
- Phase IV: Postoperative
- Phase V: Post Discharge Care Planning
Inquire how the hospital executes Covid-related safety and risk mitigation.
During the surgery, you will be in an unconscious state and surrender your welfare to experts facilitating your operation. Thus, the proper execution and safety of the overall process should be a priority. Be mindful of the hospital’s social distancing policy for its staff, patients, and patient visitor. Do this both in the restricted and non-restricted area. Be keen on investigating whether the hospital is strictly following social distancing and the wearing of face-covering. Facilities should also have hand sanitizers ready for everybody. There must also be a temperature check regularly for incoming and outgoing staff and visitors.
Surprisingly, amidst these concerns and policies, there is a rise in the number of people who would like to undergo cosmetic surgery in countries like the US, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Whatever kind of operation you opt to have, ensure that your hospital is competent enough to carry out the surgery and comply with Covid-19 related regulations. Also, ensure to secure a peaceful place to recover.
If you are planning to recover at home, ask family members to limit social interaction. You can take a few days’ or weeks’ leaves from work so that you can relax even without the use of masks. Be mindful of the effects of anesthesia and the recovery of wounds and stitches that you got during the operation. Have regular communication with your doctor or any assigned personal about your progress. And above all, get enough rest, follow the prescribed diet and medicines and enjoy the positive effects of cosmetic surgery on your body.
