Upstate hospitals report higher patient volumes, longer ER wait times

Hospitals encourage people to visit Urgent Care in non-emergency

Hospitals encourage people to visit Urgent Care in non-emergency

HOSPITAL WITH THE VIRUS. >> AS HOSPITALS ACRSOS THE UPSTATE SEE A SGEUR IN COVID-19 CASES, SEVERAL HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS SAY THE WAIT TESIM IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE LONGER THAN USU.AL CAROL: OUR JENNER READY IS JOINING US LIVE OUTSIDE BON SECOURS AND YOU'VE BEEN SPEAKING WITH THE HOSPITALS IN OUR AREA ABOUT THIS, RIGHT? >> The Reporter: I HAVE,ND A THESE LONGER WAIT TIMES ARE NOT SOMETHING THAT IS UNIQUE TO JUST ONE HOSPIT.AL IT'S SOMETHING THASET VERAL HOSPITALS SAY, THEY ARE EXPERIENCING AND THAT'S INAR PT BECAUSE THEY ARE SEEING A HIGHER NUMBER OF PATIENTS. AS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CONTINUES, ITS IMPT ISAC BEING FELT IN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ACROSS THE UPSTATE. >> I GOT TREHE ABOUT 3:30 P.M. AN ID LEFT ABOUT 10:30 P.M. >>> WILLIAM DOMINIC WTEN TO AN EASLEY EMERGENCY ROOM FOR TIGHTNESS IN HIS CHEST AN OTHER SYMPTOMS AND WAITED ROUGHLY SEVEN HOURS. HE SS ITAY WAS A LONGER WAIT THAN HE EXPERIENCED JUST WEEKS AGO. >> SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, I CHECKED IN WITH DIATIBE KETTOACIDOSIS, HAD A BOUT OF IT YESTERDAY, STILL HAVING IT RIGHT NOW. THINTOK OK ME, I DIDN'T HAVE A LONG WAIT THE LAST TIME. >> The Reporter: SEVERAL HOSPITALS ACRSOS THE UPSTATE SAY THEY ARE SEEING LONGER WAIT TIMES IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS, JUSLASTT WK,EE SPARTANBURG REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER GAVE WYFF NEWS 4 AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK INSIDE ITS ER. >> WE DON'T WANT TO TURN ANYBODY AWAY, BUT THOSE THEEW N YORK SERVICES OTHERWISE ARE HAVING TO WAIT LONGER TNHA THEY NORMALLY. >> The Reporter: BON SECOURS IS SEEING AN INCREASE IN WAIT TIMES DUE TO A HIGHER NUMBER OF PATIENTS, SAYING IN PART, WE HAVE PUT PROCESSES IN PLACE TO TRIAGE PATIENTS MORE EFFICIENTLY WITH THE GOAL OF PROVIDING CARE TO EVERYONE WHOEE NDS IT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIE.BL IN A STATEMENT, AMMED HEALTH SAYS IT HAS SEEN A HIGHER NUMBER OF PATIENTS AND ECHOED A SIMILAR MESSAGE, SAYING IN PART, WE HAVE PROCESS TOSS ENSURE EVERY PATIENT IS APPROPRIATELY TRIAGED AND RECEESIV A MEDICAL SCREENING EXAM TO DETERMINE THE APPROPRIATE COURSEF O TREATMENT. AND JTUS IN THE LAST HOUR, WE DID HEAR BACK FROM PRISMA HEALTH WHO SAYS THATUE D TO THE VOLUME OF COVID9-1 PATIENTS, IT WILL CONTINUE TO SEE EXTENDED WAIT TIMESN I ITS EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS. HEALTH OFFICIALS AT SEVERAL HOSPITALS ARE REMINDING PEOPLE TO ONL GOY TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT IF IT IS A TRUE EMERGEY.NC BON SECOURS IS ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO GO TO URGENT CARE,F I YOU JUST HEAV SYMPTOMS, MILD SYMPTOMS, OR IF YOU NEED A COVID-19 TEST, THEYRE A EXPERIENCING SOME HIGHER VOLUMES THERE, AS WELL, SO THEYRE A ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AHEAD OF TIME. IN GREENVILLE, JENNI

Upstate hospitals report higher patient volumes, longer ER wait times

Hospitals encourage people to visit Urgent Care in non-emergency

Several Upstate hospitals are reporting increased wait times in their Emergency Departments due to the impact of COVID-19. In a statement, Prisma Health said in part, "The unprecedented need for inpatient beds to care for COVID-19 patients is straining the system at every level. With this volume of COVID-19 patients and their level of acuity, we will unfortunately continue to have extended wait times in our emergency departments."Bon Secours St. Francis Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jennifer Robinson, said Bon Secours is experiencing higher volume leading to longer wait times in their Emergency Departments. A statement sent to WYFF News 4 reads in part, "We have put processes in place to help triage patients more efficiently, with the goal of providing care to everyone who needs it as quickly as possible."The statement continued, "We'd also like to remind everyone that we offer COVID-19 testing at our AFC Urgent Care, Bon Secours sites. In addition to testing, these centers are prepared to safely screen, isolate, and care for patients who may only be experiencing mild symptoms."Robinson said its urgent care sites are also seeing higher volumes and encouraged people to make an appointment ahead of time to reduce the wait. Earlier this month, WYFF News 4 was invited in to the Emergency Room at Spartanburg Medical Center where Spartanburg Regional Medical Center President Phil Feisal addressed wait times. "Our wait times in the EC (Emergency Room) have just jumped dramatically over the last several weeks as a result of the capacity constraints and those that need our services otherwise," he said. "We’re not turning anybody away, but those that need our services otherwise are having to wait longer than they would normally."AnMed Health told WYFF News 4 it is experiencing high patient volumes. In a statement sent Monday, AnMed Health said, "The care and safety of our patients are our top priority. We have processes to ensure every patient is appropriately triaged and receives a medical screening exam to determine the appropriate course of treatment. In light of the unusually high number of patients, we would like to remind the public to only come to the emergency room for true emergencies." William Dominick told WYFF News 4, he went to an Easley Emergency Room on Sunday and waited roughly 7 hours before leaving without seeing a doctor.

GREENVILLE, S.C. —

Several Upstate hospitals are reporting increased wait times in their Emergency Departments due to the impact of COVID-19.

In a statement, Prisma Health said in part, "The unprecedented need for inpatient beds to care for COVID-19 patients is straining the system at every level. With this volume of COVID-19 patients and their level of acuity, we will unfortunately continue to have extended wait times in our emergency departments."

Bon Secours St. Francis Public Relations and Communications Manager, Jennifer Robinson, said Bon Secours is experiencing higher volume leading to longer wait times in their Emergency Departments. A statement sent to WYFF News 4 reads in part, "We have put processes in place to help triage patients more efficiently, with the goal of providing care to everyone who needs it as quickly as possible."

The statement continued, "We'd also like to remind everyone that we offer COVID-19 testing at our AFC Urgent Care, Bon Secours sites. In addition to testing, these centers are prepared to safely screen, isolate, and care for patients who may only be experiencing mild symptoms."

Robinson said its urgent care sites are also seeing higher volumes and encouraged people to make an appointment ahead of time to reduce the wait.

Earlier this month, WYFF News 4 was invited in to the Emergency Room at Spartanburg Medical Center where Spartanburg Regional Medical Center President Phil Feisal addressed wait times.

"Our wait times in the EC (Emergency Room) have just jumped dramatically over the last several weeks as a result of the capacity constraints and those that need our services otherwise," he said. "We’re not turning anybody away, but those that need our services otherwise are having to wait longer than they would normally."

AnMed Health told WYFF News 4 it is experiencing high patient volumes. In a statement sent Monday, AnMed Health said, "The care and safety of our patients are our top priority. We have processes to ensure every patient is appropriately triaged and receives a medical screening exam to determine the appropriate course of treatment. In light of the unusually high number of patients, we would like to remind the public to only come to the emergency room for true emergencies."

William Dominick told WYFF News 4, he went to an Easley Emergency Room on Sunday and waited roughly 7 hours before leaving without seeing a doctor.

Upstate hospitals report higher patient volumes, longer ER wait times

Hospitals encourage people to visit Urgent Care in non-emergency

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