Fayetteville hospital fears patients are staying home due to coronavirus

For weeks now, medical experts have talked about the need to keep hospital beds available for coronavirus patients.

But the public may not realize that hospitals still have beds for people with other serious issues.

When WRAL visited the Cape Fear Valley Medical Center in Fayetteville, there wasn’t anyone in the waiting room.

“The public’s acceptance of visitor restrictions in our hospitals, as well as social distancing and sheltering in place orders have helped keep our patients and staff safe,” said Michael Nagowski, Cape Fear Valley Health CEO, in an interview with the AP.

“It has also kept our census low so that we can better accommodate the anticipated surge due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the low census also means our staffing needs are reduced.”

The center is furloughing 350 hospital employees. Those are from departments related to elective procedures, which have been paused, Dr. Michael Zappa, the center’s chief of emergency services, told WRAL.

But that doesn’t mean the hospital's emergency room isn't open for business, he said.

Zappa and other hospital administrators are growing concerned that residents may be putting off emergency room visits in fear they might catch the coronavirus.

"You need to come to the emergency department when you’re having an emergency,” Zappa said.

He worries that images of New York City hospitals, which are overcrowded, are giving locals the impression that the center is also busy and full of coronavirus patients.

“Only a small percentage of our patients right now are coming for covid symptoms,” Zappa said.