RICHMOND, Ky. — Many hospitals right now are becoming overwhelmed by respiratory patients. The emergency department at Baptist Health Richmond, is taking extraordinary steps so its facilities won’t break under the strain. 

What You Need To Know

  • Baptist Health Richmond is experiencing a high volume of patients

  • The hospital’s emergency room asks people to visit only when necessary

  • If the situation isn’t immediately life-threatening, an urgent care center visit is a better alternative

Specifically, its emergency department is urging people to visit the emergency room only when absolutely necessary. If an injury or sickness isn’t immediately life threatening, the staff highly recommends stopping by a local Urgent Care center instead.

To help patients decide the best course of action, Baptist Health provides these guidelines.

When to Visit an Emergency Room

  • Chest pain or pressure
  • Broken bones that break through the skin
  • Sudden severe headache
  • Trouble speaking, seeing, or walking
  • Numbness, weakness, or paralysis in the face, legs, or arms, especially if on one side of the body
  • Head injuries
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Shortness of breath
  • Seizures
  • Eye injuries
  • Drug overdose
  • Poisoning
  • Bleeding you can’t control
  • Self-harm or attempted suicide

When to Visit an Urgent Care Center

  • Minor cuts and burns
  • Ankle sprains and other joint injuries
  • Back pain
  • Skin rashes, hives, etc.
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Bronchitis
  • Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
  • Earaches or ear infections
  • Upper respiratory infections

These are just some examples. Always attempt to contact your doctor first. And with a serious emergency, consider calling 911.

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