State of Michigan Press Release March 20, 2020
LANSING — Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Executive Order 2020-17, which imposes temporary restrictions on non-essential medical and dental procedures beginning as soon as possible but no later than March 21, 2020, at 5 p.m.
Executive Order 2020-17 states
that hospitals, freestanding surgical outpatient facilities, and dental
facilities, and all state-operated outpatient facilities, must
implement a plan to temporarily postpone all non-essential procedures
until the termination of the COVID-19 state of emergency.
“My number one priority remains to flatten the curve and protect the most people we can from the spread of coronavirus,” said Governor Whitmer. “Our
health care workers are on the front lines every day protecting
Michiganders during these extraordinary and difficult times. By
postponing all non-essential medical and dental procedures, we expect to
reduce the strain on the health care system and protect people. My
administration will continue to do everything we can to mitigate the
spread of the disease and ensure our children, families, and businesses
have the support they need during these challenging times.”
“By putting this order into place, we will be
able to reduce the strain on our healthcare community,” said Michigan
Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and
Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “Healthcare
professionals are working around the clock to help protect and treat
Michiganders, and by temporarily postponing non-essential procedures,
this will free up staff and critical resources that will be needed to
address the ongoing public health emergency that we are facing.”
A facility covered by this order that
performs medical procedures must postpone, at a minimum, joint
replacement, bariatric surgery, and cosmetic surgery, except for
emergency or trauma-related surgery where postponement would
significantly impact the health, safety, and welfare of the patient.
These facilities should exclude from
postponement advanced cardiovascular disease (including coronary artery
disease, heart failure, and arrhythmias) that would prolong life;
oncological testing, treatment, and related procedures;
pregnancy-related visits and procedures; labor and delivery; organ
transplantation; and procedures related to dialysis.
Additionally, these facilities must exclude
from postponement emergency or trauma-related procedures where
postponement would significantly impact the health, safety, and welfare
of the patient.
Facilities covered by this order that perform dental procedures must postpone, at a minimum, any cosmetic or aesthetic procedures, like veneers, teeth bleaching or cosmetic bonding; all routine hygiene appointments; any orthodontic procedures that do not relieve pain or infection, restore oral function, or are not trauma-related; initiation of any crowns, bridges, or dentures that do not relieve pain or infection, restore oral function, or are not trauma-related; any periodontal plastic surgery; extraction of asymptomatic non-carious teeth; and recall visits for periodontally healthy patients.
If a dental facility chooses to remain open,
its plan must exclude from postponement emergency or trauma-related
procedures where postponement would significantly impact the health,
safety, and welfare of the patient.