Local hospital officials want people to know emergency rooms are open to all types of patients, not just those with COVID-19.
Doug Cropper is the President and CEO of Genesis Health System which operates six hospitals in the Quad Cities and surrounding area.
He's very concerned that two people went to urgent care clinics instead of the emergency department while having symptoms of a heart attack.
Usually, about 15% of the people who go to Genesis emergency departments have to be admitted to the hospital.
But Cropper says that's increased to 35% which means people are waiting too long to go to the the hospital ER. And once they arrive, they are very sick.
Unity Point Health Trinity hospitals have observed the same trend.
