Survey: 40% Of Americans Still View Going To The Hospital As Risky

Stephanie Stahl reports.

TOLD US HE MADE HIS FIRSTBLOOD PLASMA DONATION TODAY TOHELP TREAT OTHER PEOPLEFIGHTING THE VIRUS.AVOIDING DOCTORS ANDHOSPITALS BECAUSE OF FEARS OFTHE VIRUS.NEW RESEARCH SHOWS ITCONTINUES TO BE A PROBLEM THATCOULD BE PUTTING SOME PEOPLEIN DANGER.HEALTH REPORTER STEPHANIESTAHL IS HERE NOW WITH DETAILSON THIS NEW STUDY.STEPH.Reporter: UKEE, THIS NEWRESEARCH SAYS SOME PEOPLE FEELSEEKING MEDICAL ATTENTION ISMORE RISKY THAN GOING TO THEHAIR SALON OR A CONCERT.AND CARDIOLOGISTS HAVE AWARNING FOR HEART PATIENTSSAYING NOT GETTING TREATMENTFOR SYMPTOMS COULD BE A DEADLYMISTAKE.EVEN THOUGH HE WAS WORRIEDBECAUSE OF THE PANDEMIC, JIMWOODARD IS GLAD HE SAW ADOCTOR WHEN HE FELT HIS HEARTSKIPPING.HE WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A-FIBAND HAD AN ABLATION TO CORRECTHIS ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHM.IT WAS VERY CLEAR SOMETHINGI NEEDED TO DO.Reporter: NATIONWIDEDOCTORS ARE CONCERNED ABOUTPATIENTS CONTINUING TO AVOIDTREATMENT FOR HEART ATTACKSSTROKES AND OTHER PROBLEMS.IS SURVEY FINDS 40% OFAMERICANS STILL VIEW GOING TOTHE HOSPITAL AS RISKY EVENMORE THAN A HAIR SALON CONCERTOR BEACH AND DOCTORS AREREPORTING UP TO A 60%REDUCTION IN HEART ATTACKADMISSIONS.IF WE GET TO PATIENTSHAVING HEART ATTACK, GET TOTHAT PATIENTS HAVINGARRHYTHMIAS WITHIN MINUTES ASOPPOSED TO DAYS WE CAN MAKE ASUBSTANTIAL IMPACT UPONMORTALITY.LITERALLY CAN SAVE LIVES BYINTERVENING EARLY.Reporter: PATIENTS WITHSERIOUS SYMPTOMS ARE URGED TOCONTACT THEIR DOCTOR OR GO TOAN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.HOSPITALS ARE TAKING EXTENSIVEPRECAUTIONS TO KEEP COVID-19FROM SPREADING.THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM HASTAKEN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY FROMTHE BEGINNING AND WE HAVE INFACT CREATED A HEALTHY ANDSAFE ENVIRONMENT.IN MANY WAYS HOSPITALS CAN BEAMONGST THE SAFEST PLACES TOBE RIGHT NOW.Reporter: MANY FACILITIESCREATED SYMPTOMS WHEREPATIENTS LIKE JIM GO HOME THESAME DAY, IT'S NOW BEEN THREEWEEKS SINCE HIS ABLATION.YESTERDAY I WENT FOR A BIKERIDE AND, YOU KNOW, FELTGREAT.VERY, VERY HAPPY AND RELIEVEDTO HAVE HAD THIS DONE.Reporter: AND DOCTORS SAYPEOPLE WITH HEART DISEASE ORANY UNDERLYING HEALTHCONDITIONS NEED TO BE EXTRACAREFUL GUARDING AGAINST BEINGEXPOSED TO COVID-19 BECAUSE