Baptist Health Richmond seeing ‘unprecedented number’ of patients seeking care

RICHMOND, Ky. (WTVQ) — Baptist Health Richmond’s emergency department is seeing “unprecedented” numbers of patients seeking care, and the hospital wants to remind patients coming in of the appropriate locations for their symptoms.

According to a press release, most patients coming into the emergency department are experiencing respiratory symptoms. The ED wants to remind patients of other locations for care, including primary care clinics, urgent care clinics and virtual care.

“We determine who gets to come back based on your vital signs, your chief complaint; those are symptoms such as chest pain, heart attack symptoms, heart attack symptoms, those are the first ones we have to first get back so on top of what you’re seeing in the main lobby. You have to remember we have a separate ambulance entrance,” said Lora King, an RN.

Providers say because the hospital is full, it’s causing a backlog. They’re asking patients to be kind and patient.