Fears of the coronavirus shouldn’t keep people from seeking help in an emergency.
Doctors at Southern Illinois Healthcare said some patients have been hesitant to come to the hospital even when they’re in urgent need of care.
Dr. Alejandro Hornik, a neurologist with SIH, said getting care quickly is key when it comes to stroke.
“The sooner that people come to the hospital if they’re having a stroke, the more options we have to help them out. And we have a unique chance of even making the whole thing completely go away,” said Hornik.
There are still treatment options if people come later, but the sooner treatment begins the better the outcome, according to Hornick.
Hornik also said SIH is taking precautions to protect patients, including limiting elective care that can be delayed, reducing the number of people in the waiting room, and seeing infections disease patients in a separate area of the emergency room than other patients.
