Los Angeles wildfires: Hospitals resume surgeries, reopen some clinics

Hospital systems in the southern California area have been working to restore services affected by the devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

Hospitals have remained open but some health systems have had to close clinics and outpatient facilities in evacuation areas or those affected by the fires and power outages. Some non-urgent surgeries have also been delayed.

Cedars-Sinai, which had postponed some elective surgeries, says the system has resumed a full surgical schedule. The Los Angeles system says it has reopened most of its outpatient offices and surgery centers that had been shut down due to the wildfire.

Still, some locations are closed, including those in Los Feliz, Pasadena and Santa Monica. And the system is treating patients in its Brentwood/West Los Angeles office virtually.

• Read more: From hurricanes to wildfires, hospitals must plan for climate disasters

UCLA Health has also reopened some of its clinics that had been closed temporarily, but the system says clinics in Calabasas, Malibu and Pacific Palisades remain closed.

The health system continues to ask patients to avoid going to the emergency department for issues that can be handled at primary care and urgent care clinics, to ensure that hospitals can care for those with serious and life-threatening injuries or conditions.

Kaiser Permanente says all of its Southern California facilities are open, including those that had to be shut down last week due to evacuations. The system advises patients that they should be aware that clinics could continue to be affected by the wildfires, and patients will be contacted if appointments need to be rescheduled.

City of Hope says all of its facilities are open and fully operational, but the system is also taking extra steps to help those affected by the fires. The system is expanding telehealth services for patients who may have difficulty getting to clinics, and has advised patients to contact them if they are running out of medications and need help getting refills.

The San Gabriel Valley VA Clinic was closed for a few days last week, but the clinic reopened Monday (patients were offered virtual appointments). Some elective surgeries were postponed last week, the VA said.

Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said all of its facilities are open; specialty care clinics in Encino and Santa Monica were temporarily closed last week.

The pediatric health system also has offered a host of resources for families with children affected by the wildfires, including guidance on helping kids cope, dealing with trauma, and some activities to keep them engaged.

Adventist Health’s hospital in Glendale (Adventist Health Glendale) remains open but has been operating on a heightened alert. The hospital has postponed non-essential visitation. The hospital’s urgent care clinics and medical offices are all open and operating with normal business hours.

The wildfires are affecting air quality in the Los Angeles region, health officials say. Cedars-Sinai pulmonologists are advising residents to limit outdoor activity and to wear an N-95 mask if possible.