What does it mean that NYC’s hospital system is about to be overrun?
Many, many people who firmly believe they need hospital care will be told their conditions are not serious enough. They will be told to go home.
This is no longer peacetime medicine. It’s wartime medicine. 1/
Many, many people who firmly believe they need hospital care will be told their conditions are not serious enough. They will be told to go home.
This is no longer peacetime medicine. It’s wartime medicine. 1/
To deal with the onslaught of coronavirus patients, the entire NYC hospital system is essentially going to have to be turned into a giant ICU for covid-19.
This will require an almost unthinkably large amount of resources--equipment, supplies, space and especially staffing. 2/
This will require an almost unthinkably large amount of resources--equipment, supplies, space and especially staffing. 2/
Much of the healthcare system outside of the hospitals--from neighborhood docs to outpatient facilities--will likely be drained of supplies and staff to support covid patients inside hospitals. 3/
Your annual physical? Colonoscopy? Hip replacement surgery? Dental cleaning? All will have to be deferred until after this crisis.
What if you think you have strep throat? Or have a bad rash? Deal with it via telemedicine. 4/
What if you think you have strep throat? Or have a bad rash? Deal with it via telemedicine. 4/
Most importantly, what happens when you develop covid symptoms?
You’ve heard that 80% of people have light symptoms which don’t require medical care. What you may not understand is that “light” runs from the equivalent of a cold to walking pneumonia. 5/
You’ve heard that 80% of people have light symptoms which don’t require medical care. What you may not understand is that “light” runs from the equivalent of a cold to walking pneumonia. 5/
If you are in the “light” category, and do not have pre-existing complications, you will almost certainly not be admitted to the hospital.
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Fortunately, most people with light symptoms will heal by simply resting at home. The important thing is to have a phone ready to reach out for help if your situation worsens.
What’s the dividing line? How do you know when the moment has come to call for help? 7/
What’s the dividing line? How do you know when the moment has come to call for help? 7/
This is the CDC’s (not all inclusive) list of signs that should prompt you to get emergency attention:
* Trouble breathing
* Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
* New confusion or inability to arouse
* Bluish lips or face
8/
* Trouble breathing
* Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
* New confusion or inability to arouse
* Bluish lips or face
8/
If your condition is short of this and you are worried, then consult a doc via phone/telemedicine. Don’t call an ambulance or show up at the hospital.
This applies to people with light symptoms with Qs about underlying health issues, or who have not improved after 3-4 days. 9/
This applies to people with light symptoms with Qs about underlying health issues, or who have not improved after 3-4 days. 9/
We have the most advanced hospital system in the world. They are about to do something amazing: save the lives of most of the extremely sick covid patients they care for.
But to enable them to achieve this feat, the rest of us are going to need to stay out of the way. 10/
But to enable them to achieve this feat, the rest of us are going to need to stay out of the way. 10/
To recap: NYC’s health care system is going from a place of plenty to a place of scarcity. That transition will be difficult for all of us. But it is the only way we will be able to save the lives of those most endangered by this pandemic.
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