BUFFALO, N.Y. — The reopening of elective surgeries should give Erie County hospitals a major financial boost, just at the time they need it most.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo on Monday agreed to reopen hospital-based surgeries as the infection rate continues to drop in the region after seven weeks on hold. The county's positivity rate has declined from 8.6% in early January to 5.2% on Sunday, while hospitalizations declined from 427 on Dec. 31 to 323. The county's hospital capacity is at 48%.
The curtailment of surgeries since early December has had a multi-million dollar impact on Kaleida Health. The system’s hospitals and off-campus ambulatory surgery centers would normally complete 3,000-plus procedures per month.
