Hospitals share important message during COVID-19 pandemic: Don’t delay emergency care

Heart attacks, strokes, accidents and injuries: These are just a few examples of medical emergencies that can occur at any time, in any place and to any one – even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

HSHS St. Joseph's and Sacred Heart hospitals remind all area communities that the emergency departments are open and available to provide all types of emergent medical care, 24/7, regardless of the current public health crisis. 

A recent report from the American College of Emergency Physicians states some emergency departments across the country are seeing a reduction in patient volumes, as well as patients delaying seeking medical care for non-COVID-19 related emergencies – potentially due to patients being concerned about contracting COVID-19 during a hospital visit or overwhelming health care workers.

“We urge our community members to never forgo or delay seeking medical care for any type of emergency, even in the midst of a pandemic,” says Dr. Ken Johnson, emergency medicine physician for HSHS Sacred Heart and St. Joseph’s Hospitals. “We have highly-skilled, compassionate providers ready to care for you, and protocols in place to prevent the spread of all infectious diseases, including COVID-19.” 

The following are some examples of symptoms/incidents in which a trip to the emergency department or call to 911 is necessary:

• Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath

• Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure

• Severe abdominal pain

• Bleeding that will not stop

• Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness

• Sudden changes in visionSudden confusion

• Injury due to accident, burns or smoke inhalation, near drowning, deep or large wounds or other serious injuries

• Choking

• Difficulty speaking

• Coughing or vomiting blood

• Head or spine injury