Time to Care for Non-COVID Patients to Reduce Pandemics: New York Doctors

A state group representing New York doctors is urging people to go to their doctor’s office for critical medical care during a pandemic. Meanwhile, large healthcare providers are also emailing patients with the same message.

“Don’t delay care and be unhealthy,” NYU Langone Hospital wrote in a recent email to the patient and doctors “clean thoroughly” “mandatory” face-to-face appointments, tests, and surgery. Emphasized that it can be “and disinfected”. ”place.

The New York State Medical Society, a medical association for doctors, noted that there was a “significant reduction in patient visits” at doctors’ offices and hospitals that would have been unrelated to COVID-19, Published safety guidelines Infection seems to be waning, so members can increase public confidence in them.

“The doctor’s office is one of the safest places for patients, given the proper safety measures. Reopening a doctor’s office is an important step for New York.

“MSSNY encourages all practices and institutions to adopt comprehensive safety protocols such as patient flow management, restricted visits, body temperature checks, and remote check-in,” he said.

Coronavirus pandemics almost stopped many medical procedures, as people were wary of going to doctors’ offices and hospitals for fear of epidemics. The state health department also ordered hospitals to postpone elective surgery, and instead devoted resources to take care of a large wave of infected, often highly ill, coronavirus patients admitted to the facility. To do.

“The pandemic has left many other parts of the healthcare system idle to conserve resources and capacity within the system and limit the chances of infection or infection by the virus,” said the Medical Association. It was

“In physician practice and health facilities, the combination of shelter and patient fear in place has significantly reduced patient visits. Because patients miss routine screening and preventive care, This can lead to much more complex problems in the future. “

The post last month reported the number of patients who refused medical assistance from the city’s EMS paramedics Soared during the pandemic, For fear of going to a hospital full of COVID-19 patients.

A group of doctors to provide public education to convince patients who are worried that they may be able to see a doctor in the doctor’s office or another “healthcare environment” in order to reinstate the healthcare system for services other than COVID. He said a campaign would be needed. According to the addition of groups, resumption depends on location and on the severity of the virus in different parts of the state.

Governor Andrew Cuomo reported on Saturday that 280 people were killed due to COVID-19 During his press conference Sunday. That is down from the daily peak of April 8th, 799.

NYU Langone Hospital said it was safe to ask patients for care.

“I understand there may be concerns about coming to the clinic or hospital right now. NYU Langone is an e-letter to patients, so we have strict safety procedures in place to protect patients. rest assured.

Healthcare providers said they had introduced infection control procedures to protect non-COVID patients during the pandemic.

According to patient notes, all NYU Langone staff are tested for COVID-19 and masks and other protective equipment. All patients will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms prior to their visit, and all staff and patients will be screened for COVID-19 symptoms at the entrance to the clinic and temperature checked with a “no touch” thermometer.

NYU Langone said that all patients must wear masks and that social distance measures will be “implemented” in shelters.

“All of our facilities are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized all day long,” the patient was told.

The hospital set up “strict procedures” for surgery, stressing that the operating room is “still the safest place to have a baby.”

Mothers who give birth regularly will be discharged within 24 hours, the letter said.

NYU Langone also highlighted the isolation of COVID from non-COVID patients in four emergency rooms in Manhattan, Brooklyn and Long Island. The ERs all have “a separate area for patients admitted with COVID-19 symptoms,” the letter said.

The hospital system said “video visits” were an option for patients who did not need urgent care.