Don't stay home with life-threatening illness or injury

We are so grateful for all of the people in our community who are heeding the federal and local guidelines for social distancing and staying at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19. These efforts have definitely made a difference and have prevented our hospital from becoming overwhelmed by COVID-19. As the stay at home order expires in the days ahead and some businesses begin to reopen, we want to encourage our community to continue to engage in measures designed to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

While staying home is the best way to prevent the spread of COVID-19 or any infectious disease, it is important to remember that the hospital is still a safe place for you if you are experiencing signs or symptoms of a life-threatening illness. Access to emergency services in both the TriStar Hendersonville and TriStar Portland emergency rooms remain available to all, and patients with urgent health concerns, whether COVID-19-related or not, should not put off medical attention.

If you are experiencing emergency symptoms of any kind, it is both safe and necessary to go to the emergency room.

When to Seek Treatment

Because our hospital caregivers deal with communicable diseases on a daily basis, we know how to identify and treat infectious illnesses while minimizing risk to caregivers, just as we have done in cases such as the seasonal flu or tuberculosis. While there may be alternative ways to handle routine medical situations, emergency concerns remain critical to providing life-saving care for a number of illnesses and injuries. Our facilities are staffed with experienced clinicians who are at the ready to assist patients with emergency concerns, whether COVID-19 related or not.

Dr. Pooja Patel, an emergency medicine physician at TriStar Hendersonville and TriStar Portland, shared some “red flag” symptoms and conditions that should be seen in the emergency room without delay.

Symptoms that should not be ignored include:

• Pain in the abdomen
• Chest pain
• Sudden dizziness
• Fainting
• Weakness or numbness in limbs
• A fast heart rate or heart palpitations
• Orthopedic injuries
• Fever, accompanied by vomiting or diarrhea
• Severe headache, often described as “the worst headache of your life”
• A sense or feeling of impending doom

These conditions include infections of the urinary tract, kidneys, skin and digestive system, and even the nervous system, Patel said. And those who are undergoing treatment for diabetes, cancer, autoimmune disorders or are taking other special medicines designed to treat chronic illness, are at risk if treatment is not sought for certain symptoms. And because viral or fungal infections can become critical in a short amount of time, it is important to seek emergency care before symptoms get worse.

“Just because a new virus has become a significant health threat in our community, that does not mean that other serious illnesses or injuries have disappeared,” said Patel. “While you are staying home to keep from becoming sick with COVID-19, it is important to remember that there are many other conditions or injuries that can become a life-threatening problem if they are overlooked.”

Heart Attacks, Strokes, Cancer

Interventional cardiologist Dr. Paul Kudelko and Vascular and Thoracic Surgeon Chad Swan are concerned about the number of potential heart attack, stroke and aneurysm patients who may be ignoring symptoms because they fear becoming infected with COVID-19 while seeking treatment in a hospital.

“On a typical week, we see between five to seven heart-related emergencies per week,” said Kudelko. “During the last few weeks of this pandemic, we have seen zero to one per week. It is a phenomenon that physicians across the country are seeing.”

“What we want people to know is that while there is a reason to be cautious due to COVID-19, we don’t want you to become paralyzed with fear of coming to the hospital for other reasons,” Kudelko added. “It is a real concern for us that people are ignoring treatable illnesses and may not recover from having waited too long to seek treatment.”

Dr. Chad Swan shared the same concerns. “We see people all the time who are experiencing an MI (heart attack) or a STEMI (a very serious type of heart attack during which one of the heart's major arteries is blocked) who have ignored certain signs or symptoms out of denial,” said Swan. “And with the threat of the COVID-19 virus, we have a concern that some people in our community may be ignoring symptoms that could lead to death. COVID-19 is a bad and scary virus, but so are heart attacks, strokes, aneurysms and cancer.”

Swan added that women who have discovered a new breast lump while staying home should reach out to their primary care provider to determine if further evaluation is needed. While routine screening mammograms may be on hold while elective cases are suspended, diagnostic screening mammograms are an available and necessary tool for the diagnosis of cancer. Colonoscopies are another preventive health screening tool that are necessary and should not be delayed by those who are at a high risk for colorectal cancer, said Dr. Randy Howard, a gastroenterologist at TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center.

“For people who are having bleeding in their stool or a change in bowel habits, or are at high risk of colon cancer because of a family history or history of colon polyps, we don’t want you to put off a screening that could save your life,” said Howard. “Delaying a colonoscopy for someone with possible colon cancer could be the difference in our being able to cure them.”

A Safe Environment for Care

Our hospitals have strong protocols in place and follow guidelines set forth by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to protect our staff and patients from the spread of infectious diseases.

“Well before COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, TriStar Hendersonville Medical Center and TriStar Portland had already taken exceptional measures to face the virus head on, and to plan, prepare and mitigate its potential threat,” said Regina Bartlett, CEO. “We have been proactively engaged in the safe management of the coronavirus, and we have put a strong emphasis on ensuring that protections are in place throughout our hospital. We want our community to know that we stand ready and that when it comes to seeking treatment for any illness or injury, there’s ‘No Place Like Home.’”

Financial Worries

There may be other fears that keep someone from seeking treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic, Bartlett added. These include the fear that the hospital may be too busy to treat other illnesses and injuries or that there may not be enough PPE. There is also a fear of being alone in the hospital, while the hospital has more stringent visitor policies in place to prevent the spread of illness.

“We are not too busy to treat you or your loved ones, and we have enough PPE to care for you, as well to protect you and our healthcare workers from infectious illnesses like COVID-19,” said Bartlett. “We also realize you may be afraid to be alone while seeking treatment. We want our patients to know we are keeping their family members and friends up-to-date regarding their care, and that our compassionate and caring staff are here to care for you like family during this time.”

One final fear that may keep someone from coming to the hospital during a pandemic is the financial side of receiving healthcare services. With many out of work or who have lost access to insurance coverage as a result of the pandemic, the hospital is still here for you. Our Patient Access team is ready to discuss these concerns with you and can help you navigate payment plans, insurance options, and financial assistance programs.

Please visit TriStarHendersonville.com and TriStarPortland.com for more information about COVID-19 and the precautions that have been put into place to keep patients and staff safe when seeking treatment for any illness or injury. The site includes a COVID-19 Resource Hub filled with helpful information and articles, as well as an interactive screening tool to help you determine if you may have COVID-19 and whether you should seek treatment.