FORT WORTH, Texas — Close to 90% of MedStar patients who call 911 with COVID-19 symptoms but are not transported, don’t seek follow-up treatment, according to a recent MedStar survey.
“That finding is a little bit interesting,” MedStar spokesperson Matt Zavadsky said. “You would think that if someone called 911 for some type of medical assessment, that the follow-up care would be important.”
The results come from a survey of 93 patients who were assessed for COVID-19 in their homes but not taken to the hospital.
MedStar receives about 50 calls a day from people reporting COVID-19 symptoms. In an effort to keep hospitals from overcrowding, only those in need of immediate care are transported. The rest are given in-home care instructions.
“We wanted to not bring patients to the emergency department that did not need to be in the emergency department,” Zavadsky said.
A pamphlet shows patients how to prevent the spread to others even in their own homes. Patients also receive information about where and how to get tested and are encouraged to talk to a doctor.
The survey showed 48.9% of those patients got a test. Out of that group, 46.7% tested positive.
“It was a pretty high positivity rate from the patients that called 911 for help,” Zavadsky said.
Despite high rates of positivity and low rates of consulting a doctor, 100% of the survey respondents told MedStar they were feeling better.
That’s not a reason to take the virus lightly. MedStar encourages anyone showing symptoms to talk to a doctor, and in emergency cases, call 911.
