DANVILLE, Pa. – Denise Torres, M.D., has accepted the position of chair of the Geisinger Surgery Institute after an extensive national search led by Alfred Casale, M.D. , system chief medical officer for surgical services and chair of the Geisinger Heart and Vascular Institute.
Doctors say the vaccine is a must for transplant patients, who are immunosuppressed and at risk of severe COVID-19. Yet a very small but vocal contingent of transplant patients and donors are fighting such requirements, arguing care should not hinge on vaccination status.
Undergoing surgery during the COVID-19 pandemic makes some people feel uneasy but doctors say it s safe and itâs important not to neglect medical needs.
Dr. Clark Gerhart, a general surgeon at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, said delaying surgery because of fear of catching or spreading COVID-19 can allow someone s condition to deteriorate, making the surgery more difficult with a higher risk of complications. A patient who becomes more ill due to delayed care can have longer hospital stays and higher costs, he said.
Gerhart said patients have postponed all kinds of procedures during the pandemic including following up on mammograms, which can help find breast cancer at an early stage. People also have been late in scheduling colonoscopies, which can help prevent cancer from even starting, he said.