Richard Berger, MD, thinks patients should have their elective surgeries done sooner rather than later, according to KSAT.com.
Dr. Berger is an orthopedic surgeon at Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush in Chicago.
"I tell my patients now is the best time to get surgery because if it gets bad, we may have to cancel elective surgeries or at least postpone them again," he said.
While patients may be worried about returning to the hospital during the pandemic, Dr. Berger said it is "about the safest place you can possibly go."
Chicago-based Rush University Medical Center screens all patients before they enter the facility, checking for fever and other symptoms. All patients are also tested for COVID-19 before coming in for surgery, according to anesthesiologist Parag Patel, MD.
Debbie Doran is one Rush patient moving forward with knee replacement surgery after months of waiting. Her procedure was rescheduled twice due to COVID-19.