Mercy Hospital ER Braces For Spike In Hospitalizations Due To High Heat

The high temperatures across the state have metro hospitals preparing for an influx of patients needing treatment in ERs. 

Staff have loaded up on extra cooling supplies and IV bags in preparation for the triple digit temperatures. 

Mercy’s ER becomes a high traffic area when temperatures spike. 

"I can tell you that the shelves and the drawers are overflowing, basically they're as full as we can keep them in the morning," said Mercy ER physician, Dr. Brent Mefford. 

Temperatures across the metro hit record highs; for Dr. Mefford and the rest of Mercy's staff that means they'll see a lot more people in the emergency rooms with heat-related illnesses. 

"We've seen a lot more with all the heat and everything people are getting dehydrated more quickly," said Dr. Mefford. He continued, "things that they were used to doing when it was 85, 95 degrees out then suddenly when it's 105 they can't do those, and it pushed them beyond what they can do." 

Dr. Mefford said the people who need help can be from anywhere. From kids who played too hard, to adults who work or even live in the elements. The ER has also used more supplies. 

"Normally if somebody in the wintertime comes in and is dehydrated you may give them one liter of saline through their iv, where a lot of times these people that have heat related illness, you're talking about multiple liters of fluid through there and cool fluids rather than warm fluids," Dr. Mefford said. 

Most people who come in are treated and sent home but that can cause issues as others in need of emergency treatment have to wait for beds. 

"Trying to keep the rooms open and available. That's the biggest constraint is having places to do this," said Dr. Mefford. He added, "if somebody comes in and there's not a room available starting an iv out in the waiting room and started hydrating them at that point than before they get to a room. Start doing what we can as soon as we can." 

The other metro hospitals said they also have kept track of how many fluid bags are used and their emergency departments have had a normal flow in their ER.