A closer look at why people are going to emergency room visits during the pandemic shows millions of the ER visits in New York could have been handled at primary care offices or urgent care centers. Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield reviewed State Department of Health data to see what reasons people were seeking medical assistance.
Excellus Medical Director Dr. Elizabeth Nicholas says there were a wide range of issues that weren’t considered emergencies.
“Simple things such as scrapes, sprains, sore throats, upper respiratory tract infections, ear infections, dental pain, back pain, medication refills… these are the types of minor illnesses that overcrowd our local emergency departments and divert valuable and limited resources away from those who need them the most.”
The doctor says if there’s a question as to whether or not a person requires emergency care, a good place to start is to contact a primary care provider and have them call back. If that doesn’t work out, she suggests being seen at an urgent care center and to book an appointment online in advance.
She says consider chest pain, fainting, seizures, severe abdominal pain, or stroke symptoms as true emergencies. However, the doctor says it can sometimes be difficult to determine.
“If it’s a question of whether or not to go then I think you go and you get seen and evaluated by triage nurse. Recognizing that emergency triage nurses are specialized in detecting life threating emergencies.”
Dr. Nicholas says she even has to wait on hold to speak with her kid’s providers, but it’s much faster than waiting for hours at the emergency room. She says many primary care offices have extended late night or weekend hours. The doctor also suggests telemedicine to avoid in person visits or seeking out orthopedic emergency care centers, if needed.
