Doctors Concerned About Non-COVID Patients Skipping The ER

TEXARKANA, Texas - In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, medical emergencies across the country unrelated to COVID-19 are taking a backseat.

Healthcare professionals say it's putting patients at risk.

Doctors at CHRISTUS St. Michael Health System wants to assure people that going to the emergency department is safe.

While COVID-19 is new, Dr. Loren Robinson says their procedures in place for infection prevention, and preventing the spread of illnesses are not.

Right now, Dr. Robinson says the hospital is stocked with enough PPE to keep the hospital a safe place.

Patients can only have one visitor, and everyone in the hospital is required to wear a mask.

Dr. Robinson says patients should not ignore the symptoms of stroke, heart attack, issues of diabetes, COPD, or other urgent health conditions.

While the number of patients visiting the emergency department is down, she says many of the ones they do see are waiting too long.

"We're seeing people come to the hospital that are sicker than they normally would be," Robinson said. "There are people with very high blood pressure, if they have diabetes, or people who think they may have had a stroke a couple of days ago and waited at home because they weren't sure if it was safe enough to come to the emergency department. The message were trying to get out to the community is that we're here to serve."

Dr. Robinson says they still have enough ventilators for patients who have COVID-19 and those who don't.

She says they're prepared to take care of all patients in the ER safely and efficiently.

Dr. Robinson says patients should also seek urgent care for emergency symptoms of COVID-19, such as, trouble breathing, persistent pain or pressure in the chest, new confusion and bluish lips or face.

She says the hospital is treating all COVID-19 patients in a separate area from patients with other health emergencies.

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