AMITA Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital issued the following announcement on July 3.
Fewer people are going to the Emergency Room. And that might not be completely good news.
AMITA Health ERs have experienced a 35% decrease in patient visits since lockdown began (hospitals nationwide report similar decreases). Some of that decrease is good news, as it’s likely a happy indirect result of sheltering in place. With no sports, there are fewer concussions, sprains and broken bones. People are driving less, so they’re getting into fewer car accidents. Less person-to-person contact means less transmission of flu and cold germs.
If people are avoiding the ER because they genuinely don’t need it, that’s a good thing. However, if people are avoiding it because they’re worried they’ll contract COVID-19, they risk needless discomfort and distress, to say nothing of the risks of delaying treatment for life-threatening conditions. Heart attacks and strokes don’t stop during a pandemic; every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has one.1,2
Every second counts in an emergency. There’s no time to lose second-guessing your safety. At AMITA Health, we want you to feel secure so that you’re ready to take action if you need to. Here is what you and your family need to know about our ERs:
Are AMITA Health Emergency Rooms Safe?
Yes. AMITA Health has implemented safeguards to minimize your risk of exposure to COVID-19 within the ER.
Cleaning icon
Cleaning and disinfecting: Our environmental services team rigorously disinfects the ER (including exam rooms between patients) using products approved as effective against COVID-19.
Check-in icon
Screening upon check-in: We are screening everyone upon their arrival to the ER for COVID-19 symptoms or respiratory complaints — and separating symptomatic patients from all other patients.
Social distancing icon
Waiting room distancing: We ask all patients to wear a face covering or mask during their visit. We’ve also adjusted seating to promote social distancing and will get you to a private treatment room as quickly as possible.
Caregiver with mask icon
Caregiver screening: All of our ER team members are wearing mask and self-monitoring for symptoms before they come to work.
Visitor restriction icon
Visitor restrictions: If someone brings you to the ER, we ask that it be just one (1) person. We might ask them to wait in their car for the duration of your visit. Pediatric patients, however, can be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Will I Be Surrounded by People with COVID-19?
No, for a couple of reasons. First, ER patients who show respiratory symptoms are quickly placed in special “negative pressure” rooms to keep them from spreading the air they breathe to other patients or our associates. These rooms are typically isolated from other treatment areas. Between these precautions and the safety measures described above, there is little reason to fear infection of COVID-19 during your ER visit.
Second, most patients come to our ER for other needs, the most common being:
Pulmonary conditions (cough, sore throat, asthma attack, pneumonia, upper respiratory infections)
Pain (neck, back, abdominal)
Head injuries (headache / migraine, dizziness, fainting, etc.)
Heart attack symptoms (chest pain, palpitations, high blood pressure)
Gastrointestinal distress (stomach trouble, nausea, vomiting, constipation)
Influenza and flu-like symptoms
Behavioral health issues (anxiety attacks and hangovers)
Women’s health issues (urinary tract infections (UTI), pregnancy complications)
Even though these totals predate the outbreak, the number of COVID-19 cases would still have made up only a small fraction of overall ER patients. And as COVID-19 cases continue to decrease throughout Illinois, so too do they decrease for our ERs.
When Should I Head to the ER?
Don’t delay care during an emergency. Call 9-1-1 or head to the ER immediately if you or a loved one experiences any of the following:
Heart attack symptoms
| Stroke symptoms
|
| Chest pain | Sexual assault |
| Concussion or head injury | High fever |
| Shortness of breath | Severe abdominal pain |
| Heavy bleeding | Severe allergic reaction |
| Broken bone | Confusion or inability to arouse |
| Serious fall | Bluish lips or face |
AMITA Health’s Emergency Rooms are close by and available 24/7. Rest assured that we’re minimizing risks to you and your family with strong safety measures. We’re here for you, now and always. In sickness and in health.®
Original source can be found here.
Source: AMITA Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital
Alerts Sign-up