The restarting of certain elective surgeries should ensure people don't come to harm by having to wait for their procedures.
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All non-urgent surgery was suspended on March 25, but from Monday some category 2 and some important category 3 procedures can recommence.
Urological surgeon Jonathan Lewin has been doing 50 per cent fewer procedures.
"I don't think any of my category one patients have had to wait beyond their category time; we're still doing major prostate cancer surgery and major kidney cancer surgery," he said.
"The ones I worry about are those category twos or category threes ... if you leave them all waiting 18 months, they can come to harm."
Dr Lewin said the partnership between Albury Wodonga Health and Ramsay Health to continue surgeries had worked really well.
"All of the elective surgery that was suitable to be performed at the private hospital in terms of the urgent category cases, 1 and 2a, was being done at Albury Wodonga private," he said.
"There were still cases happening at Albury base ... but the vast majority were sent off to the private.
"That was to free up theatre capacity, free up staff, and mainly free up bed capacity, waiting for this onslaught of coronavirus patients.
"But I think there's been a realisation now from the government that the risk we were talking about, and those huge numbers of very sick patients we were expecting a month ago, haven't materialised.
"So now we need to start thinking how best we can look after all our patient population ... we can't leave them on the back-burner."
Dr Lewin said he was awaiting detail from Albury Wodonga Health but expects there will be "a mix" of surgeries happening in the public and private hospitals.
"I think there will be a phased reintroduction of surgery," he said.
"It's not going to go from category one and 2a to back to normal again.
"Because some of the staff who were working in theatres have now been seconded elsewhere, so we're not going to be able to run at full capacity and we still need to keep some bed-stock up our sleeves."
With IVF, screening for cancer and joint replacements being among activities that can restart, it is estimated that one in four closed operating lists will reopen.
Arrangements will be reviewed by May 11.
Reproductive Medicine Albury director Scott Giltrap welcomed the announcement.
"We depend on having access to hospital treatment, so our IVF and infertility clinic have been essentially shut down because only category one [procedures] were able to go to hospital for surgery," he said.
"Most of the staff are on very limited work ... and I've been doing urgent phone consultants.
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"It's a very difficult time for some of the patients in their later 30s, having to put everything on hold.
"They'll be relieved they can restart."
Dr Giltrap said the clinic would move to restart cycles "so that over the next couple weeks, we'll be getting to the treatment stage".
"We'll see what happens; it's going to be week-by-week," he said.
"One of the things that will happen with this, is there's been very little operating in the public or private sector, so the waiting list will blow out.
"The government has done a great job with social isolation; Australia's figures are pretty impressive."
AWH is examining the announcements by the Prime Minister and the Federal Health Minister regarding the timing of the reintroduction of elective surgery.
"We are awaiting more information including advice from the Victorian Department of Health and Human Services to ensure we have the PPE, workforce and bed availability to support resumption of elective surgery. We would seek to make informed decisions with the relevant stakeholders prior to recommencing any elective surgery," AWH Director Pandemic Response Sally Squire said.
Ms Squire has asked the public to continue to observe the changes to AWH visitor policy.
All visitors will be screened upon entry to the Albury and Wodonga hospitals and will not be able to visit if they are unwell with a fever and any cold or flu like symptoms; have recently travelled from overseas; have been identified as close personal contact with a confirmed case; or have been in close contact with a suspected case.
The maximum number of visitors per patient in all inpatient wards is one (over the age of 16) at any time. Patients will be asked to identify one only consistent visitor for the duration of their stay and this visitor will be asked to identify themselves upon arrival.
Visiting hours are strictly between 12.00pm and 2pm; and 5pm and 7pm. Visitors are permitted to stay for up to one hour only, once per day.
