Local healthcare officials are seeing an increase in people coming to the hospital

COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI)- Doctors and administrators at local hospitals need people’s help to continue to provide the best care for the community. Health care officials say it starts with carefully considering when to go to the emergency room. Chest pains and shortness of breath are a couple of cases where you need emergency room care. If your condition isn’t as life-threatening, doctors encourage you to seek help at your local doctor or urgent care facilities. “Our volume is going up tremendously over the last two months so you know we’re still seeing everybody for emergencies and anybody that comes in but you know if the public could just try to come out mainly for the medical emergencies that they’re having,” said emergency room Physician at Baptist Memorial Hospital Dr. Clifton Scott. Dr. Scott said the hospital will treat all patients, but emergency cases like suspected heart attacks and strokes should come to the ER; while less life-threatening issues can be discussed in an office visit. “If you have a primary care doctor try to call the primary care physician. A lot of times there are hour lines you can call to determine you know what your condition is and whether or not you need to come to the ER,” said Dr. Scott. Dr. Scott said some people have been hesitant to come to the ER, because of their concern about contracting COVID-19. Scott doesn’t want fear to keep people from getting the care they need. “We do encourage people to you know not to be concerned about getting COVID here in the hospital. We are doing our best to separate covid patients away from non-covid patients in triage,” said Dr. Scott. The Baptist Medical Group will begin offering a drive-through testing site for anyone that feels they should be tested. Starting Monday, August 16, 2021, but patients must 662-244-2019 to preregister or their process will be prolonged.