Coronavirus pandemic causes delayed Non-COVID-19 medical help in the US

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• As the surge of new coronavirus cases filled the hospitals in many US states, non-COVID-19 patients have become wary and are encountering difficulty in seeking medical care.
• Doctors and hospitals have observed a declining rate of patients who undergo routine care and increasing cases of patients with delayed medical needs.
• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of the emergency department has dropped by 42 percent during the first two and a half months of the pandemic even with the rise of COVID-19 related cases.

The resurgence of the coronavirus pandemic in the US has created another health crisis. Hospitals are being crowded and non-COVID-19 patients become afraid and unable to come and seek non-emergency care.

As new virus infections continue to surge, hospitals and medical experts said that there is a huge drop in patients getting routine health care, and an increase in the number of patients with delayed care ⏤ which worsened their conditions.

“I had one lady who had delayed for five days coming in with abdominal pain that was getting worse and worse,” said Dr. Diana Fite, an emergency doctor in Houston. “When she finally came in, she had a ruptured appendix.”

Many states have prohibited non-essential medical procedures when the country declared a national emergency last March due to the pandemic. As a result, patients seeking non-coronavirus related medical aid have significantly declined. Hospitals and medical practices also took a financial blow.

According to the tracking by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the use of emergency department dipped by 42 percent during the first two and a half months of the outbreak even with COVID-19 related medical records rising.

In this regard, Austin oncologist Dr. Debra Patt expects that cancer mortality rates will surge in the years to come as patients get delayed care. “They’re scared to go in the hospital unless they absolutely have to… And even when the patients are willing, it’s hard to get things done,” she said.

Recently, Patt treated a patient who lost about 35 pounds for waiting too long before seeking professional advice. He had a softball-sie tumor in his head. Fite, meanwhile, attended to a baby with a severe ear infection. The parents waited six days before having him treated.

According to Dr. David Fleeger, a colorectal surgeon in Austin, he had several colonoscopies cancellations in recent days. “The delays in colonoscopies that are occurring right now ultimately will lead to more cancers and more deaths,” he said.

In Texas, various non-emergency procedures were again suspended except for cancer-related treatments. Non-COVID-19 patients are opting to stay at home either because of fear, confusion, or having difficulty in accessing medical assistance.

The continuous spike of new coronavirus cases has again overwhelmed hospitals in many states which include Arizona, Florida, Texas, and parts of California.

Source: AOL.com