(Photo: Zoom, Horizon Health network)
A reminder from Horizon Health Network not to seek care at the emergency department for COVID-19 symptoms.
President and CEO Karen McGrath says it puts additional stress on their staff, “The time they are spending ensuring safety precautions and COVID protocols are in place, is time that may be taken away from other emergency patients.”
McGrath says their emergency departments were already dealing with lengthy wait times, high capacity levels and a shortage of staff.
“Teams have added a great deal of extra precautions to protect both themselves and their patients. This means that emergency department staff, must treat anyone with COVID symptoms as COVID suspect,” McGrath says.
These are steps that must be taken to prevent the spread of the virus within the healthcare facilities.
Last week, more than 100 of their staff were self-isolating and more 50 others had to be redeployed from their regular positions to help control the spread of the virus.
McGrath says, “Triaging time has increased, additional Personal protective equipment is required and staff are stretched thinner than ever before. There is no magic solution when you take 200 people out of a workforce that is already stretched to the limit.”
She asked that everyone consider all of their options in the community for care, before going to the emergency department, “So when you need urgent care, we can be there for you.”
