Demand for care in emergency rooms and hospitals is surging, often causing longer wait times, according to a UPMC doctor.
Dr. Don Yealy called the situation "the perfect storm" in a conversation with News Radio KDKA's Marty Griffin Thursday.
"I've never seen this combination of both very high patient need and demand and stressors on those, not just the physical locations, but the people who deliver health care," Yealy said.
Last year, people generally needed emergency care less as many stayed home over the pandemic.
Now, Yealy said COVID-19 cases continue to rise, but more people are now seeking other types of emergency care, once again.
"Not only do we have a lot of COVID-19 surge, but all other healthcare has returned to the levels or above the levels that we saw, for example, in 2019," he said.
Yealy said they're seeing some come to the emergency room for non-emergency conditions, which is playing a role in longer wait times. He's encouraging those people to first seek care through their physicians or urgent care facilities.
"When there's a very, very large demand and only a certain number of spaces and people, things have to be prioritized, and you'd want that too," he said. "You would want with your most serious illnesses, if you had a stroke, a heart attack, major trauma, you would want the attention."
Asked about the situation in local hospitals Wednesday, Allegheny County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen stated she does not have control over local health care systems, but believes "they have it well in hand."
