Flagstaff Medical Center Planning On Restarting Elective Surgeries Soon, Slowly

Flagstaff Medical Center continues to plan for the re-starting of elective surgeries as they continue to work through the COVID-19 pandemic. FMC Chief administrative officer Josh Trinkle says they plan to apply for the reinstatement soon with slow phasing in starting around the May 10th. Trinkle says it’s then where “we will move from four main operating rooms to six, which will increase our volume by around 25-percent.” He adds, “then on June 1st we will go from six to nine, which will increase volume by 50-percent, then on July 1st being back to business as usual.” Other notes from Northern Arizona Healthcare’s weekly media briefing Thursday include news of six less patients on ventilators this week, going from 23 to 17. Officials say they are seeing a “steadiness of the curve” at FMC, with a potential flattening, but caution they don’t know if this means a future decline. Flagstaff Medical Center is also still accepting donations for masks, gowns and other PPE, however they did acquire a 3D printing machine to start making their own masks. Doctors are treating COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma, Remdesivir and other treatments that are seeing success nationwide. To donate items call Northern Arizona Healthcare at (928) 773-2301.