Priority of A&E Dept to treat life-threatening cases – GPHC CEO

Chief Executive Officer of the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation (GPHC), Retired Brigadier, George Lewis stated that too many persons with non-threatening illnesses and minor injuries are flooding the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Unit of the medical facility.

On top of this, he noted that they complain about the waiting periods they are subjected to when medical staff are attending to patients with more serious complications.
On this note, he explained that the priority of the staff at the A&E Department is to take care of accident victims or persons with life-threating cases
“Some of the persons who visit the Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department should not be visiting the A&E, as the name suggests it is for accident and emergency but persons go there for a common cold etc. The process of the A&E sees patients being treated on the level of injury, the more serious the injury the faster you get attended to.”
The CEO explained that in light of the influx of patients with varying levels of illnesses or health complications at the A&E, a number of changes have been implemented.

“The Medical Outpatient Department, which is at Middle Street, is now open until 8 pm. Also, it is open on weekends, both Saturdays and Sundays, so persons with minor illnesses should visit there. I can tell you that if you visit there on a Saturday or Sunday you walk in and quickly you walk out (no lengthy waiting time).”
Lewis further stated that in addition to a reduction in waiting time at that hospital, there has been an increase in the staff complement on any given shift, to cater to persons who visit the GPHC as a result of critical illnesses.
“And we are working to add additional facilities and with that, we hope that we would be able to reduce the persons with serious illnesses but I say again that persons with minor illnesses should not visit the A&E Department until 8 pm. Don’t go there before 8 pm because if you will go there with a common cold or a small cut you will have to wait. If a person visits the GPHC with a gunshot wound or with respiratory challenges that person requires service before persons with the minor illness or non-life-threatening illnesses.”
He pointed out that the majority of complaints by patients or persons seeking medical attention at the GPHC’s A&E Department are voiced by individuals who do not or did not have life-threatening health issues and that the medical staff there would prioritise medical attention based on the situations they are confronted with.
“And that is where I think the problem lies and many people with minor illnesses would complain that they are waiting long at the A&E. But they will wait long because the illness that they go to the Department with is not an A&E type of illnesses,” the GPHC CEO added.