Three hospitals in Chattanooga, Tenn., will limit which patients are tested for COVID-19 in their emergency departments, according to News Channel 9.
CHI Memorial, Erlanger Health System and Parkridge Health System won't be giving COVID-19 tests in their ERs to patients with nonemergent symptoms. The hospitals described nonemergent symptoms as a runny nose, persistent cough or change in taste or smell.
The change was made to "best devote our emergency room staffs' time to caring for the increasing number of patients with medical emergencies such as chest pain, difficulty breathing, stroke symptoms or other conditions that require urgent medical attention," according to a statement by the hospitals published Aug. 27 by News Channel 9.
Only ER patients with worsening shortness of breath and other symptoms that could require hospitalization will be tested in the ER.
The hospitals encouraged patients with mild symptoms to get tested at alternative sites.