By LISA TANG
Special to the Herald-Press Dec 11, 2020
Matt Davis COURTESY PHOTO
Hospital administrators attribute this yearâs decline in emergency medical service calls to patient fears of catching COVID-19, but express concern that the lower number of calls may result in patients not receiving the help they need.Â
Palestine Regional Medical Centerâs EMS Director Matt Davis said his department is averaging 875 responses a month in 2020, compared to 915 per month in 2019 and previous years. Davis warns that avoiding calls may mean that untreated health conditions can worsen and lead to more severe health conditions.Â
âI believe the decrease is due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic,â Davis said. âItâs worrisome because we want people to get the care they need.â