People with minor injuries or cold symptoms won't be turned away from the emergency room at Butler Memorial Hospital. However, the hospital would like to see those people consult their primary care physician or visit one of Butler Health System's FasterCare facilities in person or through live online telemedicine to reduce waiting times in the emergency room, which is stressed from high patient volume and medical staff shortage, said Dr. David Rottinghaus, BHS chief medical officer.

“For one reason or another, medical staffing is less than it was during the (COVID-19) surge over winter. There's been a lot of retirement,” Rottinghaus said.

In addition, the hospital is treating 40 COVID-19 patients as well as patients with other serious conditions, he said. Five are currently being treated in the intensive care unit, according to a Thursday news release from the hospital.

“Like other health systems, we're stressed and we're experiencing some waits in the emergency room and seeing a large number of patients,” Rottinghaus said.

He said the hospital will not turn anyone away, but treating people with minor medical conditions in the emergency room is causing delays.

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