During this unprecedented time, the AHPBA recognizes the challenge that COVID19 presents to health care providers and our patients. The U.S. Surgeon General, American College of Surgeons, and numerous other public health experts have recommended the suspension of all elective surgeries. The goals in postponing non-essential surgery include: Protect patients and providers; Preserve critically short supplies of PPE; and Preserve inpatient bed capacity and other equipment for critically ill patients. While truly elective surgery addressing benign disease processes should be postponed, many/most hepato-pancreatic-biliary malignancies tend to be aggressive in nature. As such, most operations for a hepato-pancreatic-biliary malignancy would generally be deemed essential, therefore still necessitating timely surgical management where appropriate. For more information regarding the CDC guidelines of the COVID19 crisis see https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/index.html
