All Ascension Hospitals Now Moving Ahead With Elective Procedures

OAK CREEK, WI — With the reintroduction of elective surgeries at Ascension St. Francis Hospital this week, Ascension Wisconsin announced all of its hospitals have resumed services for certain non-urgent and medically necessary procedures as well as primary and specialty care clinic appointments at its sites across the state.

Ascension Wisconsin began postponing and canceling elective surgeries and non-urgent medical procedures on March 22 at its hospitals as an additional precaution to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.

While most Ascension Wisconsin sites began to gradually reintroduce certain elective surgeries on May 11, the timing has varied across the state.

Following state and federal guidelines, Ascension All Saints Hospital began scheduling non-emergent surgical procedures last week and Ascension St. Francis Hospital this week.

In the northern part of the state, Ascension Wisconsin hospitals are operating at 100 percent capacity. Most Ascension Wisconsin hospitals in southeastern Wisconsin are at 75 percent and expected to reach 100 percent in the next two weeks, except for Ascension All Saints Hospital and Ascension St. Francis Hospital, which are at 25 percent, health officials said.

Ascension Medical Group clinics are close to 90 percent pre-pandemic levels, with about 20 percent of those patient visits being virtual.

Officials said Thursday that all locations are continuing to implement recommended infection prevention precautions to minimize exposure risks related to COVID-19 for patients and caregivers. This includes appropriate COVID-19 screenings and testing for patients scheduled for an elective or non-emergency surgery prior to their planned surgery date.