EMS says patients afraid to call 9-1-1

By Melinda L. Lucas

Members of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors met by “Uber conference” for the second month in a row, but tentatively plan to meet in person for the June 15 session.

All seven members checked in for the remote meeting, with mostly routine agenda items except for those related to -COVID-19.

District administrative Jera Fairley reported that patient visits at the clinic are still down drastically because of the pandemic scare, and even telehealth calls have decreased.

EMS director Tina Ulbrich added that many county residents are afraid to call 9-1-1 because of fear, even for chest pain and other urgent health problems.

“People are afraid to go to the hospital,” said Ulbrich. “They’re having strokes and heart attacks, and they still don’t want to call.”

She and Fairley, along with board president John Ayers, suggested that the district take some measure to educate the public about safety precautions being taken by both emergency services and hospitals.

More information will be available next week.

Other Business

•Directors passed a formal motion that local clinic providers will report to the state only “true positive test results” regarding any COVID-19 patients or deaths rather than contributing to “probable data.”

•Fairley said that the Texas Ranger who is in charge of the district’s criminal investigation and EMS drug diversion case is “back from the border” and is devoting more time to the case. The local sheriff’s office is no longer involved, she said, choosing to let the Texas Rangers take the lead.

•Ulbrich reported that she is looking into grants that might cover the purchase of a hydraulic stretcher and CPR equipment, and she hopes to have more details next month.