Dr. Casale:Stay connected to your cardiologist

Recent national headlines have highlighted a worrisome trend in U.S. hospitals: emergency room visits have dropped significantly during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and data suggests people with serious medical conditions, including heart attacks, are not seeking care for fear of contracting COVID-19. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a report last week indicating emergency room visits decreased by 42 percent throughout four weeks in April, compared to the same period in 2019.

While anxiety over the pandemic is certainly understandable, it is vital that people suffering from acute cardiac events get the immediate care they need. It’s important to realize that emergency departments are clean and safe, and patients suffering heart attacks risk irreparable damage and possibly death by not seeking treatment.

And cardiology patients must not forget to get their routine specialty care during the pandemic. Working with your cardiologist to manage a heart condition is not only key to your overall wellness but also could decrease your chances of experiencing a cardiac event and needing that emergency-room visit.

Geisinger is getting back to scheduling in-person visits that were safely delayed when the pandemic arrived in our communities, and face-to-face care will always be more appropriate when a patient’s condition calls for it. But for many cardiology patients, telemedicine visits offer a perfectly good way to receive care from the safety and comfort of their home.

If you’re wondering what can be accomplished over the phone or via video chat, here are some examples of evaluations that can occur without being in the same room as a cardiologist:

• Initial and follow-up assessments of cardiovascular risk by checking and discussing lipids, diet, weight, exercise and even blood pressure if the patient has a blood-pressure cuff

• Assessment of cardiovascular risk based on family history

• Development of an exercise regimen

• Development of a plan to quit smoking

Evaluation of some symptoms, including palpitations

Ultimately, it’s important to note that a telemedicine visit can help your cardiologist decide if you need in-person care.

And remember, if you think you’re experiencing signs of a heart attack or stroke, or you suffer a traumatic injury, call 911 and get the emergency care you need.

Geisinger has taken the safety precautions enacted as we prepared for COVID-19 and made them standard practice as we proceed to phase in treatments and procedures that were deferred early on.

Clinical settings are being deep-cleaned multiple times a day. Screening and masking of all patients and providers are mandatory. Limiting the number of visitors will continue for now, and limiting the number of people in waiting rooms while expanding the space between chairs will ensure patients are not exposed to crowded spaces.

Finally, treatment areas have been designated for COVID-19 patients to prevent transmission of the virus to non-COVID-19 patients. In fact, because of the great attention to all the details of making areas COVID-safe, in a real sense doctor’s offices, hospitals and other medical facilities are likely to be much safer than other places we’ve been going into with less anxiety.

To find out if telehealth is right for you or if your provider is offering virtual visits, call 866-530-6925. Patients who have an upcoming appointment with a Geisinger provider can contact their doctor’s office directly and ask about the availability of a virtual visit. Telehealth services are available to Geisinger Health Plan members at no cost through June 15, and many other insurers are waiving copays for this service as well.

Don’t put off necessary care for fear of Coronavirus, take appropriate precautions, insist that your caregivers do too and let’s all stay well.