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PeaceHealth urges community to consider other care options due to high patient volumes at emergency department

Respiratory illness cases creating long waits; residents urged to get flu vaccine

By Chrissy Booker, Columbian staff reporter
Published: January 15, 2025, 2:23pm

PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center’s emergency department is experiencing unprecedented patient volumes due to the rise of respiratory illness cases in Clark County.

PeaceHealth is encouraging community members with nonemergency health issues to consider other options for care, according to a Tuesday news release from the nonprofit hospital.

“Please know that we treat everyone who visits our emergency department, but those with nonemergency needs will most likely have a longer wait time before we are able to care for them,” PeaceHealth Southwest Emergency Services Medical Director Jason Hanley said in the news release. “We are asking the community to consider other care options to assist with your nonemergency health care needs so our team can care for the most ill and vulnerable.”

Hanley said anyone who is experiencing difficulty breathing or getting enough oxygen should come to the emergency department for evaluation.

A visit to a primary care or urgent care clinic may be a more suitable option for other flu or respiratory virus symptoms, such as body aches or coughing, Hanley said.

PeaceHealth has two clinics that offer same-day, drop-in care with extended hours in Vancouver. PeaceHealth Mill Plain Priority Care Clinic, 315 S.E. Stone Mill Drive, is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. PeaceHealth Fisher’s Landing Priority Care Clinic, 16811 S.E. McGillivray Blvd., Ste. 101, is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.

Clark County Public Health has been tracking the number of emergency department visits and hospitalizations due to respiratory illnesses, including influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV.

But, only 24.5 percent of Clark County residents have received a 2024-25 flu vaccine, and statewide the flu vaccination rate is 26.8 percent, according to Public Health.

“The flu vaccine is safe and provides the best protection against illness, missed days of work or school, and serious complications from influenza,” Public Health Director Dr. Alan Melnick said in a news release Jan. 7.

From Dec. 22-28, Public Health recorded a rate of 36.10 percent influenza positivity of the 928 people tested.

From Dec. 29 through Jan. 4, 6.9 percent of emergency department visits were due to the flu; 0.5 percent were due to COVID-19 and 0.8 percent were due to RSV.

During that same week, 6.9 percent of hospital admissions were due to the flu; 1.4 percent were due to COVID-19 and 1.1 percent were due to RSV.

“While influenza activity is already high, it’s not too late to get your flu vaccine,” Melnick previously said. “The flu season can last months. Getting vaccinated now will provide protection throughout the rest of the flu season.”

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This story was made possible by Community Funded Journalism, a project from The Columbian and the Local Media Foundation. Top donors include the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund, Patricia, David and Jacob Nierenberg, Connie and Lee Kearney, Steve and Jan Oliva, The Cowlitz Tribal Foundation and the Mason E. Nolan Charitable Fund. The Columbian controls all content. For more information, visit columbian.com/cfj.

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