Drop in E.R. traffic during virus outbreak

Drop in E.R. traffic during virus outbreak

SEEING LESSFOOT TRAFFIC.23ABC'S DANIELA GARRIDO SPOKE TOA LOCAL DOCTOR ON THEREASON WHY.DR. HEMMAL KOTHARY/MEMORIAL HOSPITAL: "I WOULD SAY MYSCHEDULE IS DOWN TO 50% OFWHAT I WOULD TYPICALLY SEE"AT LOCAL HOSPITALS IT'S ALLHANDS ON DECK TO TREATTHE CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK IN OURCOMMUNITY.AS SHELTER IN PLACE AND SOCIALDISTANCING BECOME THE NEWNORMAL, HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOMSARESEEING LESS PEOPLE COME IN.."THROUGHOUT KERN COUNTY OURHOSPITAL CENSUS HASSIGNIFICANTLY GONE DOWN I THINKPEOPLE ARE STAYING AT HOMEPEOPLE WHO TYPICALLY WOULD COMEFOR MINOR STUFF ARESTAYING HOME"PATIENTS ARE FOLLOWING HEALTHCARE RECOMMENDATIONS DURING THIS TIME..BY CALLING IN AHEAD OF TIME FORROUTINE CHECKUPS,ACCIDENT CONCERNS, AND SYMPTOMDIAGNOSIS."WE'RE LIMITING THE AMOUNT OFPATIENTS WE SEE PHYSICALLY ITS ALOT OF VIDEO CHATTING, PHONECALLS..

PEOPLE WHO WOULDCOME IN ROUTINELY FOR DIABETESNOW WERE DOING THATON THE PHONE, FACETIME, OR ANYOTHER TELEHEALTHFORMALITY"THE DROP IN FOOT TRAFFIC HASALLOWED DOCTORS ANDNURSES TO FOCUS ON COVID-19PATIENTS AS WELL AS KEEPEVERYONE IN THE FACILITY SAFEFROM COVID-19 EXPOSURE."IN GENERAL THE NUMBER OFPATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL ISLOWER SO WE NOW HAVE A LOT OFBEDS AVAILABLE,NUMBER OF PATIENTS THAT COME TOTHE E.R.

IS LOWER SO THEDOCTORS CAN HELP THEM BETTER ANDWE DONT HAVE A LOTOF PEOPLE WAITING IN THE LOBBY"THE HOSPITAL IS PREPARED FOR ASURGE OF PATIENTS BUT SAYTHEY THANKFULLY THEY HAVEN'T HADTO USE THOSE RESOURCES JUSTYET."WE HAVE TENTS OUTSIDE ALL THEDIGNITY HOSITAL SO IF THERES ASURGE WE CAN PRIORITIZE IN TENTSAND SCREEN THEM IN TENTS ANDTREAT THEM BUT WE HAVENT HAD TOUSE THOSE YET" IN BAKERSFIELD,I'M DANIELA GARRIDO, 23 ABC NEWSCONNECTING YOU.23ABC HAS YOU COVERED FOREVERYTHING CORONAVIRUSON-AIR AND ONLINE..

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