Elective surgeries are being delayed again. Doctors want to handle it differently this time

Though calling a surgery “elective” may suggest that it is a choice, in general, elective procedures are those that can be scheduled in advance, and delaying them is not life-threatening. It is a procedure that does not need to be done at the moment “to maintain life or limb,” explained Brian Cole, chair of surgery at Rush Oak Park Hospital in Chicago. “But it’s a very nebulous term to call something elective.”

Last year, this designation included almost all operations, including heart and cancer surgeries. Experts agree this initially made sense in the face of personal protective equipment shortages and limited hospital beds. Now that hospitals are better prepared and no longer facing these shortages, many are being more selective about what gets canceled. Instead of a general pause, most hospitals are examining case by case to determine whether and how long a particular procedure can be delayed.