Emergency room waits spike; hospitals nearing capacity
Rising wait times experienced at local hospitals last week can be attributed to a number of circumstances, health officials said.
While hospitals are not completely full, they are on the brink. Lee Health spokesperson Meaghan Smith said on Jan. 5, “Our hospitals are not at 100% capacity, but are very close.”
Smith added that an influx of visitors and seasonal residents returning to the area has contributed to hospitals seeing higher volumes currently.
Last week, Lee Health officials reported a “significant” rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations over the past month, a contributing factor to beds being needed for a longer period of time.
On Jan. 4, Lee Health Hospital-Based Care & Quality and Safety Chief Clinical Officer Dr. Stephanie Stovall said, “Over the past month, we have seen a significant increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations at Lee Health. They have more than doubled. Today, we are treating 111 COVID patients inside of our hospitals while just a month ago, we were treating 54. We continue to encourage everyone to take necessary precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones from COVID, influenza and other illnesses. Get vaccinated, wash your hands frequently, wear a mask if you are at-risk or not feeling well, gather outside if the weather allows, and stay home if you’re sick.”
Smith added that during this time, it is essential for people to know where to go for immediate, high-quality care. Long wait times at local facilities have resulted in some frustrated patients.
“Every patient who arrives in our emergency departments is treated as quickly as possible,” Smith said. “Emergency departments may have long wait times for non-life-threatening conditions because the care team ‘triages’ patients, which means they treat the most critically ill patients first. Patients with lower acuity, such as the flu, non-life threatening COVID, minor sprains or dental pain may end up experiencing a longer wait.”
She said that customarily, people tend to use the emergency room for not only urgent medical needs but also when they suffer minor injuries or come down with the flu.
“Not all injuries and illnesses require a trip to the emergency room, and many emergency room visits can generally be avoided,” Smith said. “There are several options patients have to avoid the longer wait times and increased costs of the emergency department when they are feeling sick and not experiencing an emergency.”
Options other than the emergency room include:
– Lee Convenient Care: LCC operates four locations throughout the county that are open seven days a week, require no appointment and offer extended hours.
– Lee TeleHealth: The service is available 24/7 from a smartphone, computer or tablet. Visits are $49 dollars, and patients can see a physician in minutes for any of the same ailments they would use a walk-in clinic for. If needed, the physician can also make a referral or write a prescription.
– DispatchHealth: Lee Health also offers a mobile healthcare service to community members in Lee County, provided through DispatchHealth, a national provider of in-home medical care. Through the service, patients can be treated at home for many conditions that are commonly treated in urgent care settings.
– Primary care physician: Patients can call their physician office to make an appointment if not experiencing an emergency.
“Anyone experiencing a life-threatening illness or injury, including difficulty breathing, chest pain, stroke-like symptoms, persistent vomiting or abdominal pain should call 911 or seek immediate medical attention,” Smith said.
For more information on Lee Health, visit www.leehealth.org.
To reach CJ HADDAD / cjhaddad@breezenewspapers.com, please email