No one wants to be in the hospital, especially now, but neither should anyone put off needed care because of the pandemic.
University Hospital in Newark is seeing fewer patients these days … a lot fewer … for conditions other than COVID-19. It reports a 50 percent drop in the number of ER visits for heart attacks, strokes and surgical emergencies.
The CEO, Dr. Shereef Elnahal says the results are tragic.
"Just in the month of April over 220 people were essentially found passed away when our EMS services arrived on scene so 220 dead on arrival relative to about 50 or so in the month of April last year."
The hospital is using social media to urge people not to neglect their health and is promoting Telehealth services via phone and video.
Click above to hear Janice Kirkel's report on the steps University Hospital is taking to ensure more people are getting the care they need during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.