We know many people have delayed or avoided routine disease management and preventive screenings during the stay-at-home time period, with surveys showing significant declines in screenings for cancers, diabetes, and cholesterol levels. In fact, an online survey for the American College of Emergency Physicians showed 29% of respondents delayed or avoided seeking medical care, while a study of a large Boston hospital showed a 33% decrease in hospitalizations for heart attacks and a 58% decline for stroke patients.
Ignoring warning signs of an emergency such as a heart attack or stroke can set the stage for a life-threatening episode. Not seeking care in other instances—perhaps for a deep cut—can lead to serious infections that could have been prevented. In the case of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, avoiding routine care can lead to life-endangering complications.
Hoping a health issue just gets better usually means it gets worse. Your doctors, urgent care centers, and hospitals are safe and ready for you. The steps they follow to keep you safe and healthy include:
- Screening for COVID-19 symptoms and taking your temperature upon arrival
- Separating people with COVID-like symptoms from others. Hospitalized COVID-19 patients are cared for away from other patients
- Distancing people from each other. Many facilities have installed protective barriers in various areas
- Limiting visitors who can attend appointments with patients
- Reducing time spent in waiting rooms or eliminating waiting rooms
- Increasing cleaning of high-touch items such as door handles and elevator buttons
Clinics and hospitals have always used advanced cleaning and sanitary practices to prevent the spread of germs, so the extra precautions with COVID-19 simply enhance those long-standing efforts.
If you’ve neglected your health care or are ignoring medical symptoms, it’s time to act. Call your doctor or health care provider, and decide on a plan together. Today, telemedicine—being treated over the phone or online—is a much more readily available option. And, if you’re told to head to the doctor’s office or hospital, know that your safety is their priority.
It’s time to get back to your health care!