Michigan Medical Exec: Don't Delay Emergency Care
MICHIGAN — Michiganders appear to be avoiding hospital visits during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according to data released Thursday by the state.
But some of the state's leading health executives urge people to not delay or avoid care.
“It is incredibly important that people not delay care, especially if they are having concerning symptoms like chest pain, difficulty breathing or dizziness,” said Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) chief medical executive and chief deputy for health. “Hospitals and EMS providers are working hard to keep patients safe, so please contact them if you are having a medical emergency.”
Data from Michigan EMS agencies from March 15 to May 23, 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, show:
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests increased 43.3 percent.
Out-of-hospital deaths recorded by EMS increased 62 percent.
Statewide EMS transports decreased 17 percent.
Transports of heart attack (or STEMI) patients decreased nearly 10 percent.
Transports of stroke patients decreased 12.1 percent.
Michigan’s EMS providers are prepared to safely care for patients with additional protective gear and disinfecting protocols in place, according to Michigan Association of Ambulance Services, the state said in a news release.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported emergency department visits declined by 42 percent during the early months of the pandemic with a 23 percent decrease in emergency visits for heart attacks and a 20 percent decrease for stroke in the 10 weeks following the declaration of a national emergency due to the coronavirus.
This article originally appeared on the Detroit Patch
