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Don’t Delay the Care You Need

May 6, 2020

During these days of the pandemic, hospitals, physician offices and healthcare facilities continue to safely treat patients with non-COVID-19 emergencies and time-sensitive medical needs, especially those with acute and chronic conditions.

If you have a medical emergency including chest pains, difficulty breathing or symptoms of stroke, don’t delay – call 911. Because emergencies do not wait until a pandemic is over, a number of measures have been put in place to safely care for all patients and all emergencies, including separate care areas, isolation units within the hospital, symptom screening and masking and disinfecting of care areas.

Non-essential/non-urgent surgeries and procedures were postponed or rescheduled at the onset of the outbreak to slow the spread of the virus and ensure access to appropriate resources in anticipation of the surge. But it does not mean that all healthcare needs disappear.

Urgent care at Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Medford continues to offer services for non-COVID-19 needs and continues to be open with extended hours. Also, our community physicians are available and continue to provide primary care and family care in their offices or virtually.

If you have been delaying your time-sensitive care due to fears about COVID-19, please contact your health care provider to discuss your concerns. Our physicians are available to speak with you on the phone or via a telemedicine appointment to address your concerns and to get you the care that you need.

Please remember, if you are having a life-threatening emergency, including chest pain, difficulty breathing, symptoms of stroke or have experienced a severe trauma or injury, call 911.

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Patient recognized the signs of stroke and got help immediately.
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