Operations and appointments are being rescheduled by hospitals in Suffolk and Essex prioritising urgent and emergency care as three days of industrial action begins by thousands of junior doctors.
More than 36,000 NHS workers across England were due to participate in the 72-hour walkout, which started on Monday, calling for a pay rise.
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The doctors' trade union the British Medical Association (BMA) is demanding a 35% pay hike.
Nick Hulme, chief executive of East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (ESNEFT), which runs Ipswich and Colchester hospitals, said teams had been carefully planning for the anticipated impact of the strike action.
He added 'all eventualities' were being planned for as the doctors did not need to tell them in advance that they were going on strike.
READ MORE: Ipswich news
“We have needed to reschedule a number of appointments and operations in order to have clinical staff available to keep urgent and emergency care and inpatient wards running safely.
"Patients will be contacted if their appointment needs to be rescheduled, so we will be urging people to continue to attend appointments as planned unless we contact them.
"We know how disappointing it will be for patients who have their appointments rescheduled and we will rearrange the appointments as quickly as possible."
READ MORE: Suffolk news
Paul Molyneux, interim medical director for West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, said 'tried and tested' plans were already in place to maintain the welfare and safety of patients and to support staff during the strikes.
“Patients will have been contacted directly if their appointment or procedure has been postponed. If patients have not heard from us, they should come to their procedure or appointment as planned," Mr Molyneux added.
Surgeries in the county were also set to be affected, though to a lesser degree.
Dr John Havard, a GP at Saxmundham Health, said there could be an 'indirect' effect due to patient backlogs at hospitals, but none of his staff were taking part in the strike.
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