Carl Armato, Novant’s president and chief executive, said that “putting off care indefinitely is simply not good for our patients — and in some cases, deadly.”

“We urge our community to seek the care they need. At the advice of our physicians, and on behalf of our patients who need care, we have thoughtfully decided to resume some of these services. The number of patients receiving care for COVID-19 within our facilities has stabilized, and our team stands ready to care for the community.”

Novant said it would prioritize rescheduling patients with delayed and postponed appointments and procedures. Those patients would be notified by phone as early as today.

In preparation of resuming non-essential and elective surgeries, Novant said it would add enhanced safety measures, including patient and team member screenings, required masking of patient-facing team members, and enhanced cleaning and disinfection processes.

It may include lowering the number of patients in the clinic at once, workflows to reduce use of waiting rooms, and even some care delivery within the confines of your vehicle. Visitor restrictions will remain in place.