Catholic Health now has approval from the state health department to resume elective surgeries in Erie County, a big step for Western New York during the COVID-19 pandemic.

An executive order by the governor last week allows 35 counties to resume elective surgeries, but Erie County is not one of them.

Catholic Health filed an elective surgery waiver that was approved May 5. Mount Saint Mary’s Hospital in Niagara County, also part of the Catholic Health system, resumed elective surgeries last week.

Part of the state’s first wave of approvals is in counties that have low COVID-19 patient numbers.

Erie County Medical Center also filed an elective surgery waiver request, but is still waiting to hear back from the state health department.

Kaleida Health released the following statement Wednesday regarding its waiver application to resume elective surgeries:

“More than six weeks ago, we suspended non-emergency surgical cases and other procedures due to the pandemic.  Throughout this time, we have been able to safely care for all patients plus accommodate all emergency and urgent operations. 

“In addition to this, we also created significant surge capacity - most notably in our critical care units - added millions in personal protective equipment, expanded COVID-19 testing community-wide and implemented a best in class patient and employee safety plan.

“That said, there has been significant patient and employee hardship during this public health crisis. Knowing that we have capacity and can safely resume surgeries, we submitted waiver applications for Oishei Children’s Hospital, Buffalo General Medical Center, Millard Fillmore Suburban Hospital, Southtowns Ambulatory Surgery Center as well as the Millard Fillmore Surgery Center.

“These physician and nursing-led waiver plans meet all of the criteria needed to achieve the safe patient care model as outlined in the executive order 202.25 Continuing Temporary Suspension and Modification of Laws Relating to the Disaster Emergency

“This is not a race. We have had numerous productive conversations with the State Department of Health this week about our waivers and we remain confident that we will be able to resume limited elective surgeries at our hospitals and surgery centers soon.”