Delaying medical care can have dire consequences. Unfortunately, that’s what has been happening recently in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Data suggests that hospitals across the country have seen a decrease in patients coming to the emergency room for time-sensitive conditions such as heart attack, stroke and appendicitis.
You should know emergency rooms are some of the safest places to receive care. ERs maintain strict precautions and infection prevention measures, so seek immediate help if you experience:
- Stroke: When it comes to stroke, time is brain. Delaying care even minutes can increase brain damage, disability and even death. During a stroke, several million brain cells die every minute. And for ischemic strokes, the clot busting drug tPA can only be administered within the first few hours after the start of symptoms.
- Heart attack: The longer a heart attack goes untreated, the more heart muscle can be damaged. Depending on the extent of damage, this can lead to heart failure, arrhythmia or even death. The quicker a person can recognize symptoms and get to the ER, the better their chance of survival and minimized damage.
- Appendicitis: If a person has appendicitis for 24 to 48 hours, the appendix can rupture, causing the infection to spill into the abdomen. This can make a person very sick and even be life-threatening. That is why it is so important to call your doctor or head to the emergency room if you suspect appendicitis.
When to go to the emergency room
If your condition calls for a trip to the ER during normal times, you should still go during a pandemic. Some sure signs you require emergency attention are:
- Head injury, loss of consciousness or other major trauma
- Severe abdominal pain
- Signs of a stroke such as one-sided weakness or numbness
- Signs of a heart attack such as chest pain
- High fever
- Open fracture
- Uncontrollable pain or bleeding
- Breathing problems
Hospitals remain safe places for care
Hospitals have extensive safety measures in place to prevent infectious disease from spreading. Not seeking care for a medical emergency is much more dangerous than going to a hospital at this time.
“At HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland, the health and safety of our patients, caregivers and communities is our top priority,” said Jim Russell, CEO. “We maintain strict precautions and infection prevention measures throughout all our medical facilities.”
Some of the steps HCA Houston Healthcare is taking to keep you and our clinical team safe are:
- Screening and universal masking for all patients, visitors, clinicians and caregivers
- Heightened infection prevention policies, including the removal of high-touch items
- COVID-19 positive patients and those with symptoms receive care in separate, designated locations
- Non-COVID-19 patients are treated in separate areas by caregivers who do not concurrently care for COVID-19 positive patients
If you or a loved one are experiencing emergency symptoms, don’t delay care. Time matters and can greatly impact outcomes. HCA Houston Healthcare Mainland is here for you and we are well-equipped to handle any health concern you may have.
Visit HCAhoustonhealthcare.com/emergency-care for more information.
