Hospitals share important message during COVID-19 pandemic: Don’t delay emergency care
April 23, 2020
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:
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Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath
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Chest or upper abdominal pain or pressure
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Severe abdominal pain
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Bleeding that will not stop
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Fainting, sudden dizziness, weakness
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Sudden changes in visionSudden confusion
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Injury due to accident, burns or smoke inhalation, near drowning, deep or large wounds or other serious injuries
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Choking
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Difficulty speaking
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Coughing or vomiting blood
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Head or spine injury
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