ATLANTA, Sept. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- One of the best ways Georgians can help evacuees from the Gulf Coast this holiday weekend, is by allowing them access to the medical attention they need. Emergency departments traditionally experience an influx of patients on weekends and holidays due to patients seeking non-emergent primary care. Emergency department resources are already strained in assisting the critical needs of Georgia residents and evacuees from Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana. Emergency departments have been receiving patients daily since Tuesday from both coordinated, medical relief efforts and from evacuees seeking respite with loved ones or at Georgia shelters.
While the emergency room may seem a convenient alternative, using these facilities for non-life-threatening health problems reduces access for individuals with true emergency care. The Georgia Hospital Association and the Georgia Division of Public Health urge all Georgians with non-emergency medical needs to call their primary care physician and utilize area clinics this holiday weekend. Reserve hospital emergency rooms for medical emergencies only.
"There are multiple factors combining all at once to put enormous stress on the health care system," said Joseph A. Parker, president of the Georgia Hospital Association (GHA). "When the emergency room is overcrowded it affects the services everyone receives. I would urge all Georgians to be aware of this and allow the emergency departments to focus their energies on patients with the most urgent needs."
Contact: Kevin Bloye Georgia Hospital Association 770-249-4504
Georgia Hospital Association
CONTACT: Kevin Bloye of Georgia Hospital Association, +1-770-249-4504
Web site: http://www.gha.org//