Number of ER Visits Decrease Due To Coronavirus Fears

Room visits are decreasing locally due to people avoiding doctor visits, fearing they may contract covid-19.

News 18's marvin bills speaks with doctors from iu health arnett and franciscan health lafayette east about the numbers - and why it's a problem.

Director of the emergency department at franciscan health lafayette east dr. david farman says several people have had emergent medical issues but are choosing to wait before seeking medical treatment.

In the last 6-weeks er visits at franciscan health lafayette east have dramatically dropped 50%.

Its er went from seeing 135 to 150 patients a day to only about 60 to 80 patients a day.

Down the road at iu health arnett doctors are experiencing the same problem.

Iu health arnett's er visits also dropped nearly 50%.

Doctors went from seeing more than 140 patients a day to only about 75 patients a day.

Franciscan health medical director of acute care surgery dr. nathan huber says patients choosing not to come in for something serious because of covid-19 could lead to bigger problems. "there are a variety of medical and surgical conditions where the duration between symptom onset and intervention really have impact on the outcome and sometimes survival."

Both franciscan health lafayette east and iu health arnett have designated areas in the hospital to ensure patients are safe and separated.

On news 18 at six doctors share what kind of life threatening problems have neglected to seek medical health.

In lafayette, marvin bills news 18.

A warm start to the week.

Precision 18 chief meteorologist chad evans is in with a