Pathfinder
Editor, Senior Moderator
Friday, October 2, 2009, 3:47pm CDT
Hospitals see surge in swine flu concerns
Dallas Business Journal -
Joyce Tsai Staff writer
North Texas hospitals are seeing a surge of patients come through their emergency rooms because of heightened concern over swine flu.
A number of hospitals are seeing as much as a 25% to 35% increase in potential swine flu patients, said W. Stephen Love, president and chief executive officer of Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
And in particular, the children?s hospitals in the area, such as Children?s Medical Centers in Dallas and Plano and Cooks Children?s Medical Center in Fort Worth, are seeing surges in possible swine flu patients.
To keep up with that increased number of potential swine flu patients, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council announced that its 75 member hospitals in the North Texas area are adhering to a consistent set of guidelines for the H1N1 testing of patients that it wants people to be aware of before going to a hospital.
At hospitals in the D-FW area, H1N1 testing generally will be performed for the following types of patients:
a patient hospitalized with a flu-like illness with a fever more than 100 degrees and cough or sore throat, as well as one or both of the following conditions ? severe illness, such as lower respiratory infection or pneumonia or ?unusual presentation? in a person with immunosuppression,
pregnant women with flu-like symptoms,
a person who has died with a flu-like illness with no other cause of death,
those involved in a public health investigation, with samples submitted by these people.
Hospital emergency rooms in the D-FW area will not conduct routine H1N1 testing for patients not meeting these criteria, the council said. These are the general guidelines for H1N1 testing, but ?obviously, each case is different and the attending health professionals will evaluate unusual circumstances such as children with severe medical problems,? Love said.
?Many patients are coming in to the emergency room rather than going to a primary care doctor,? Love said. Many come in to be tested, saying that they don?t feel well.
But due to limitations in staff resources and available testing kits for H1N1, it?s important that the public know that: ?We?re going to help you and treat you, but we may not test you,? Love said.
The council?s member hospitals include those within Baylor Health Care System, HCA-North Texas Division, Methodist Health System and Texas Health Resources.
?Hospital emergency departments in Dallas-Fort Worth have stretched their resources to keep up with the large numbers of patients seeking H1N1 testing,? Love said.
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/09/28/daily50.html#
Hospitals see surge in swine flu concerns
Dallas Business Journal -
Joyce Tsai Staff writer
North Texas hospitals are seeing a surge of patients come through their emergency rooms because of heightened concern over swine flu.
A number of hospitals are seeing as much as a 25% to 35% increase in potential swine flu patients, said W. Stephen Love, president and chief executive officer of Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council.
And in particular, the children?s hospitals in the area, such as Children?s Medical Centers in Dallas and Plano and Cooks Children?s Medical Center in Fort Worth, are seeing surges in possible swine flu patients.
To keep up with that increased number of potential swine flu patients, the Dallas-Fort Worth Hospital Council announced that its 75 member hospitals in the North Texas area are adhering to a consistent set of guidelines for the H1N1 testing of patients that it wants people to be aware of before going to a hospital.
At hospitals in the D-FW area, H1N1 testing generally will be performed for the following types of patients:
a patient hospitalized with a flu-like illness with a fever more than 100 degrees and cough or sore throat, as well as one or both of the following conditions ? severe illness, such as lower respiratory infection or pneumonia or ?unusual presentation? in a person with immunosuppression,
pregnant women with flu-like symptoms,
a person who has died with a flu-like illness with no other cause of death,
those involved in a public health investigation, with samples submitted by these people.
Hospital emergency rooms in the D-FW area will not conduct routine H1N1 testing for patients not meeting these criteria, the council said. These are the general guidelines for H1N1 testing, but ?obviously, each case is different and the attending health professionals will evaluate unusual circumstances such as children with severe medical problems,? Love said.
?Many patients are coming in to the emergency room rather than going to a primary care doctor,? Love said. Many come in to be tested, saying that they don?t feel well.
But due to limitations in staff resources and available testing kits for H1N1, it?s important that the public know that: ?We?re going to help you and treat you, but we may not test you,? Love said.
The council?s member hospitals include those within Baylor Health Care System, HCA-North Texas Division, Methodist Health System and Texas Health Resources.
?Hospital emergency departments in Dallas-Fort Worth have stretched their resources to keep up with the large numbers of patients seeking H1N1 testing,? Love said.
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2009/09/28/daily50.html#