More often than not, emergencies happen at the worst times. Public fear of COVID-19 exposure and national media about overwhelmed hospitals may be discouraging patients from seeking emergency care. Implications of waiting for help can be severe—minutes truly matter in an emergency. Procedures are in place to ensure patient safety and Tri-City Medical Center is prepared to serve patients.
A Tri-City patient shared their recent experience in hopes to encourage others to take action if their health is as risk.
On March 29, I ended up having a flare up of my chronic condition. I wanted to go to the ER but the media coverage of the coronavirus made me think that all ERs were overwhelmed with patients and that the wait would be far too long. This continued for two weeks. I messaged my GI Specialist and was told to go to the ER ASAP. I went to Tri-City Medical Center’s ER for multiple reasons. They treat patients like family, and they know how to take care of patients with my condition. When I arrived to the ER, it was basically empty. Never have I witnessed that. I quickly got called to enter the ER. The labs showed I was dangerously low on Potassium, massively dehydrated, and really low on magnesium, as a result of my chronic issue. I ended up being so sick that I was admitted for 10 days. I was in really bad shape. There aren’t enough words to thank the Doctors and Nurses at Tri-City Medical Center!
If you or someone you know is experiencing an emergency, do not wait to seek help. Visit your local emergency room immediately.
