AdventHealth West Florida Division COVID-19 Update

Updated September 14, 2021

AdventHealth hospitals in the health system’s West Florida Division have started to see a decline in COVID-19 admissions. As a result, the following hospitals will begin rescheduling and resuming some elective procedures:

• AdventHealth Carrollwood
• AdventHealth Dade City
• AdventHealth North Pinellas
• AdventHealth Sebring
• AdventHealth Tampa
• AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
• AdventHealth Zephyrhills

All patients will be contacted directly to reschedule procedures.

**AdventHealth Ocala in Marion County continues with normal operations**

Updated: September 1, 2021

AdventHealth West Florida Division has started to see a slight decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations. However, hospitalizations for COVID continue to remain at the highest levels seen throughout the pandemic.

In response to media inquiries regarding morgue capacity in the West Florida Division, please reference the below statement:

“We have a robust emergency management program, which has allowed us to continue to care for our community during this surge with thorough planning and precautionary measures. With the spike of seriously ill patients in our hospitals, and the current strain and throughput issues with local funeral homes, it’s become necessary that we put resources in place to provide additional morgue capacity at AdventHealth Tampa.”

AdventHealth is currently caring for over 600 COVID-19 patients overall at its facilities across the West Florida Division, most of whom are unvaccinated. AdventHealth Tampa currently has approximately 115 of those COVID-19 patients.

According to AdventHealth Tampa’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Doug Ross, “the Delta variant of COVID-19 is very different than the strain we saw in our community last year. This variant spreads more rapidly and affects a younger group of people in their 50s, 60s and 70s, who may or may not have underlying health factors. We are seeing otherwise healthy people become seriously ill from the virus, and the majority are unvaccinated. We continue to urge people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their community.”

ELECTIVE PROCEDURES

AdventHealth Tampa continues to pause elective procedures that are not time-sensitive urgent, or emergent. This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patients and team members. Patients will be notified if their procedure will be canceled.

AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth North Pinellas, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, AdventHealth Zephyrhills paused either some or all non-time sensitive and non-emergent procedures.

There are NO CHANGES at AdventHealth Ocala.

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations will continue with time-sensitive urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures as scheduled.

AdventHealth hospitals are designed to create flexible and expandable spaces for patient care. We are available to quickly and safely convert existing spaces in the hospital into standard patient rooms or ICU/critical care rooms, should they be needed due to increased demand.

VISITATION

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations in Tampa Bay and Sebring are currently limiting visitors. The limitation of visitors applies to the following locations:

• AdventHealth Carrollwood
• AdventHealth Dade City
• AdventHealth North Pinellas
• AdventHealth Sebring
• AdventHealth Tampa
• AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
• AdventHealth Zephyrhills

The public can find specifics for each location by visiting each hospital’s website.

Updated: August 25, 2021

AdventHealth continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and has far surpassed its highest peak at any point in the pandemic. To date, more than 600 COVID-positive patients are currently hospitalized in the West Florida Division’s 10 hospitals. In response to ensure capacity in the future, AdventHealth North Pinellas will stop all elective procedures that are not time-sensitive urgent, or emergent, effective Tuesday, August 24. This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patients and team members. Patients will be notified if their procedure will be canceled.

AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Zephyrhills paused all non-time sensitive and non-emergent procedures last week.

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations will continue with time-sensitive urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures as scheduled.

AdventHealth hospitals are designed to create flexible and expandable spaces for patient care. We have sufficient equipment available to quickly and safely convert existing spaces in the hospital into standard patient rooms or ICU/critical care rooms, should they be needed due to increased demand.

Updated: August 20, 2021

AdventHealth continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and has far surpassed its highest peak at any point in the pandemic. To date, more than 600 COVID-positive patients are currently hospitalized in the West Florida Division’s 10 hospitals. In response to ensure capacity in the future, AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Sebring, AdventHealth Zephyrhills will stop all elective procedures that are not time-sensitive urgent, or emergent. This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patients and team members. Patients will be notified if their procedure will be canceled.

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations will continue with time-sensitive urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures as scheduled.

AdventHealth hospitals are designed to create flexible and expandable spaces for patient care. We have sufficient equipment available to quickly and safely convert existing spaces in the hospital into standard patient rooms or ICU/critical care rooms, should they be needed due to increased demand.

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AdventHealth continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and have surpassed our highest peak since the pandemic began. All AdventHealth hospitals are designed to create flexible and expandable spaces for patient care. We have sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators and specialized equipment available to quickly and safely convert existing spaces in the hospital into standard patient rooms or ICU/critical care rooms, should they be needed due to increased demand.

ELECTIVE PROCEDURES

Beginning Monday, August 16, AdventHealth Dade City, AdventHealth Sebring, and AdventHealth Zephyrhills have temporarily postponed any non-urgent elective procedures that require an overnight stay. Patients will be notified directly if their procedure will be rescheduled.

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations will continue to perform same-day procedures that do not require an overnight stay. We will also continue with time-sensitive urgent and emergent surgeries and procedures as scheduled. This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patient and team members.

VISITATION POLICIES

All AdventHealth West Florida Division hospital locations in Tampa Bay are currently limiting visitors. The limitation of visitors applies to the following locations:

• AdventHealth Carrollwood
• AdventHealth Dade City
• AdventHealth North Pinellas
• AdventHealth Tampa
• AdventHealth Wesley Chapel
• AdventHealth Zephyrhills

The public can find specifics for each location by visiting each hospital’s website.

KNOW WHERE TO GO FOR COVID-19 TESTING

Unless the public is experiencing severe respiratory distress, such as shortness of breath or chest pain, please do not go to the ER for a coronavirus test. Instead, we encourage the public to contact your care provider, schedule an e-care visit, go to the nearest AdventHealth Centra Care, AdventHealth Express Care at Walgreens or PromptCare (Highlands/Hardee counties) location. This will allow clinical staff to maintain sufficient capacity for patients needing care for critical injuries and additional medical emergencies. More resources are available at CoronavirusResourceHub.com.