PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Fall 2020 - 12

The Effects of
COVID-19 on Veterinary
Emergency Rooms

By Samual Durkan, DVM, DACVECC
Co-Medical Director, BluePearl Pittsburgh
Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center
Early in the year of 2020, things started to change in the
veterinary world. The COVID pandemic affected the way we
did business, treated patients, and interacted with clients.
The changes came rapidly and with many uncertainties. While
general practitioners looked for direction concerning elective
procedures versus essential care, it was obvious emergency
medicine would need to find a way to operate in our "new
norm" and quickly. Patients would still need life-saving care
during a global pandemic.

The general veterinary practices in our area are also dealing
with higher caseloads, more patients that need to be seen
sooner, and some decrease in availability due to staffing and
health issues. This in turn has led to a higher case load for our
emergency rooms, including both urgent and non-emergent
cases. The increased case load has led to longer waiting times
for clients, often for hours, and sometimes the need to turn nonurgent cases away. Emergency room employees have proven
themselves to be particularly essential during this pandemic.

The biggest challenge of all was the operational change and
implementation of curbside care when triaging emergencies
and providing specialty services. Clients would be expected to
hand over their pets in the parking lot and wait in their vehicle.
The parking lots have become triage stations for the various
services and the emergency department. They are our new
waiting rooms. This has forced us to move associates out from
behind desks and the clinic floor to non-traditional work areas
outside-at first in the cold, then the rain, and now in extremely
hot weather. The changes have added additional steps in the
process and exposed the staff to a work environment they were
not accustomed to. It has added more steps and stress to an
already stressful environment.

In addition to the adjustments inside of the hospital, this has
temporarily changed the client-patient-doctor relationship.
We have gone from forward facing conversations to relying on
phones, texting, and email to communicate. We use face time
and photographs for visits. Most hospitals are not allowing
clients into their building, with the exception of humane
euthanasia at some facilities. And while we understand that
even in the human medical field visits for sick family members
are being denied or restricted, it makes it no less hard on an
owner who cannot see their beloved pet.

12 | Keystone Veterinarian

Currently there is no plan to go back to the way things were
before, but we all hope to soon. While our staff, clients, and our
patients' safety are always at the forefront of our decisions, we
are looking forward to mending these lost connections and find
an easier way to operate.

PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Fall 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of PVMA Keystone Veterinarian Fall 2020