Last week, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey signed an executive order that suspends elective surgeries to conserve protective equipment for COVID-19 patients.
Now, the Tucson Medical Center is in jeopardy of losing tens of millions of dollars.
Emergency surgeries remain unchanged, but optional and delayable procedures have been pushed aside in order to fight the equipment shortage.
As a result, the hospital will forfeit up to $20 million a month as it experiences a 41% decrease in surgeries compared to last year.
Lucio Guerrero is the medical center’s director of communications. He says they are now looking for ways to limit the deficit.
“Hoping that the federal government can help us ease the burden a bit with some emergency funding," Guerrero said. "Also, we’ve had to look at doing some employee flexing — areas of the hospital that are more community-facing that we aren’t able to staff fully anymore because that need is now gone.”
While the executive order is set to last through the end of April, Guerrero predicts an extension, which would lead to additional cutbacks.
