08 BROOKLYN NEWS WWW.BROOKLYN-USA.ORG
Is It an Emergency?
For many Brooklynites, the emergency
room is used for much more than
emergencies. It serves as the primary
destination for health care on a wide
range of medical matters, especially
for those lacking health insurance.
ERs play a critically vital role in the
treatment of hundreds of millions of
Americans every year, but the country’s
ongoing health care crisis has resulted
in soaring costs for hospitals and consumers
alike, as well as overcrowding
issues that lead to significant losses in
time and money for hard-working families.
According to the Network for Excellence
in Health Innovation, ER overuse
costs $38 billion a year nationally.
This May, Borough President Adams
debuted “Is It an Emergency?”, a multimedia
PSA campaign aimed at helping
address this challenge in Brooklyn,
which could be exacerbated by the
threatened repeal of the Affordable
Care Act (ACA) in Congress; spillover
effects on already strained ERs could
deepen the fiscal and logistical challenges
facing a borough where four
hospitals have shut their doors since
2003 due to financial difficulties, including
Caledonian Hospital in Prospect
Park South, Long Island College
Hospital (LICH) in Cobble Hill, St. Mary’s
Hospital in Crown Heights, and Victory
Memorial Hospital in Bay Ridge.
In the event of minor medical issues,
the initiative recommends the
use of a federally-qualified health clinic
(FQHC), primary care doctor, or urgent
care clinic. His PSA focuses on the importance
of everyday patient education.
“If you have a life-threatening condition,
go to the ER or call 911; however,
if you have a minor issue, such as a cut
or a cold, visit a local urgent care facility,
your primary care doctor, or a local
health clinic,” said Borough President
Adams in the PSA. “Leave the emergency
room free to those who really
need it. You’ll be saving time and money
in the process. Know the difference
and avoid the wait.”
A study in 2013 by the New York
State Department of Health (NYSDOH)
stated that 83 percent of statewide ER
visits were treat and release, with the
majority of these visits being avoidable.
Borough President Adams discussed the difference between minor and lifethreatening
medical issues outside Brookdale Urgent Care Center in East Flat
bush as he launched his “Is It an Emergency?” multimedia PSA campaign.
Borough President Adams highlighted
a partial list of conditions or concerns
that would be appropriate for treatment
at a FQHC, primary care doctor, or
urgent care center, including: allergies;
cold; ear pain; eye irritation or pink eye;
fever without rash; flu shot; headache;
mild fracture; minor allergic reaction;
minor bug or dog bite; minor burn; minor
sprain; nausea; sexually transmitted
disease (STD) testing; shallow cut,
and vomiting.
Examples of conditions or concerns
that he noted as needing a visit to an
ER or a call to 911 include: abdominal
pain; breathing problems; broken bone;
chest pain; cut with heavy bleeding;
head injury; pregnancy complications;
seizure; self-harm or suicidal thoughts;
severe allergic reaction; severe burn,
and stroke.
The “Is It an Emergency?” PSA, which
can be viewed on Borough President
Adams’ YouTube channel, has been being
aired by campaign partners across
Brooklyn, including Brooklyn Academy
of Music (BAM) Rose Cinemas, Barclays
Center, Brooklyn Education Innovation
(Be.IN) Network, BRIC TV, Brookdale
University Hospital and Medical
Center, Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center,
Community Health Network, Interfaith
Medical Center, Kāmin Health Urgent
Care, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center,
Photo Credit: Erica Sherman/Brooklyn BP’s Office
MCU Park, New York Cosmos, select
NYC Health + Hospitals locations, NYC
Media, NYU Langone Hospital-Brooklyn,
PM Pediatrics, and ProHealth Urgent
Care. An audio version of the PSA is
also being played on WNYE 91.5 FM and
Radio 103.9 New York.
“Reducing the overuse of ERs
across our borough’s hospitals is a
low-cost solution to a high-cost crisis,”
said Borough President Adams. “We
all have a responsibility to be smart
consumers of health care services. As
we actively pursue efforts to bolster
existing facilities that have faced financial
challenges, while dealing with the
greater burden of rising health care
costs system-wide, patient education
on preventative measures is so valuable.
If we can get Brooklynites to distinguish
between medical emergencies
and minor matters, then our borough
can save time and money while alleviating
many of the pressures our hospitals
face. ERs provide vital services
that save lives at critical moments of
injury. For everything else, there are
many health care options available to
use, regardless of one’s ability to pay
or citizenship status.”
A comprehensive map of all health
care facilities in Brooklyn is available
on Borough President Adams’ website,
brooklyn-usa.org.
There’s a loan out there for
you!
Find it at
Replace Your Car
Expand a Business
Educate a Child
Help Your Family
And Many More!
1750 86th Street · Brooklyn
(718) 680 2121
www.brfcu.org