RIDOH: Avoid Emergency Rooms For Seasonal Illnesses

With high flu activity reported in Rhode Island, the Department of Health is encouraging residents to avoid seeking emergency care unless necessary, and to instead seek care "in settings where they will be most appropriately treated."

According to a RIDOH press release, most injuries and seasonal illnesses do not require a visit to the emergency room. This includes flu cases where the patient is unlikely to develop a complication such as pneumonia from an underlying medical condition. Most cases of the flu are best treated by a patient's primary care doctor or at an urgent care facility.

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If a patient is unsure, he or she should contact their primary care provider before going to the emergency room. Emergency signs of flu complications include symptoms such as shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, pain or pressure in the chest, or symptoms that improve and then come back with a worsened cough and fever. More emergency symptoms can be found on the Center For Disease Control's website.

“Emergency departments are perfect for emergency situations. If someone is experiencing a serious health issue, they should absolutely call 911 or go to an emergency department right away. However, emergency departments treat patients with the most serious health issues first, which means that people with less severe conditions may experience long waits,” said Director of Health Nicole Alexander-Scott, MD, MPH in a press release. “Keep the phone number for your primary care provider handy and know where your nearest urgent care facility is. An urgent care facility, or other type of express care facility is often a more convenient, less expensive option.”

Other than the flu, RIDOH encourages patients to go to a primary care provider first for issues including back pain, minor cuts and injuries, sore throats, and most cases of norovirus, a highly contagious stomach illness that causes extreme nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

To prevent the spread of the flu, norovirus, and other season illnesses, RIDOH recommends the following:

• Get a flu shot. The flu remains in Rhode Island through the spring each year, so it's not too ate to protect yourself.
• Cough or sneeze into your elbow instead of hands.
• Wash hands frequently with soap and warm water.
• Stay home when sick, and keep children out of school when they are sick to prevent the spread of illness.
• Do not prepare food for three days until after symptoms clear if you have norovirus

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