Statewide Iowa — Hospitals in the Des Moines metro are encouraging people to avoid emergency rooms, if possible, this summer and go to an urgent care clinic for less severe illnesses and injuries.
The message comes as hospitals throughout the country deal with a critical shortage of nurses and expect to see the typical summertime increase in trauma cases. Jennifer Olson is the president of MercyOne Medical Group.
Olson says if you have a serious break in a bone or are experiencing serious life-threatening symptoms, like chest pains or shortness of breath, then go immediately to the ER. According to a recent insurance industry analysis, the average wait time in an Iowa hospital emergency room is 123 minutes.
Some of the medical clinics in smaller towns in northwest Iowa also function as urgent care clinics when they are open. If you have any questions, contact the clinic in question.
