Emergency rooms seeing fewer patients statewide

Visits to the emergency rooms have declined in Walla Walla county and across Washington since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“Overall, the number of people coming to the Emergency Department are down significantly. On an average, pre-pandemic day, the Providence St. Mary Medical Center Emergency Department sees between 80 and 100 patients. Currently, it is seeing from 40 to 50,” said Kathleen Obenland, Director of Communications for Providence.

 “A concerning trend we are seeing are people with serious medical emergencies, such as stroke or heart attack, delaying calling 911 or coming in for care. This can have tragic consequences.”

Visits to emergency departments in Washington state as a whole were down nearly 40 percent in April, compared to last year.

Providence’s Emergency Department Medical Director, Dr. Tony Billingsley, notes that this is an issue locally as he has seen fewer heart attack and stroke patients since the crisis began.

“People should definitely come in if they are having concerning symptoms. If you have something minor that can wait or that you can see your doctor for, or that you can do over a telehealth visit, that’s great. But if you are having chest pain, or if you are having signs of a stroke, or if you are having trouble breathing you still need to come to the ER,” Billingsley said.

He stresses that the hospital is safe to visit and that “in the ER particularly, but in the hospital in general, we are aggressively separating potential COVID-19 cases from non-COVID-19 cases - we have an entire separate section of the ER that is dedicated to treating patients with fever or symptoms that are suspicious of COVID-19, and rooms that are entirely dedicated for other cases. We have put a lot of processes in place to prevent the mixing of those patients. It’s safe, without a doubt.”

DOH advises people not to wait to get medical care when they need it and to call 911 for the following situations; choking, severe chest pain or pressure, or a seizure that lasts three to five minutes.

Also seek care for problems like trouble breathing, fainting, an unusual or bad headache (especially if it started suddenly), severe pain anywhere on the body, severe allergic reaction, a high fever with headache and stiff neck or one that does not get better with medicine, a poisoning or overdose, and suicidal thoughts.

If you are not sure what to do, call your health care provider for advice. You may be advised to go to the emergency room, or it may be something an urgent care clinic can help with.

Billingsley also observed that “We have definitely seen fewer motor vehicle collisions, and I think that is because fewer people are out driving.”

“We are still seeing a pretty steady stream of injuries and that’s because people are outside doing things, or they are doing their home projects and get cut. Or their kids are outside riding bikes when they would normally be in school, and they crash their bikes,” he added.

DOH officials are also concerned that people who have lost their jobs and health insurance may avoid going to the emergency room over cost concerns.

For those who do not have or have lost healthcare coverage can go to   WAhealthplanfinder.org to see what coverage they may be are eligible for.

Avoiding needed health care doesn’t keep you or the community safe. If you are having an emergency, call 911 or go to the emergency room.