LAFAYETTE, LA – May 5, 2020 – SCP Health announces a new public awareness campaign, #hEReforyou, to advocate for the safe return to necessary, in-person medical care and rebuild trust in the community.

A recent report from the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) shows that four in five adults report they are concerned about contracting COVID-19 from another patient or visitor if they need to go to the emergency room.

Amid the pandemic, the number of non-COVID-19-related visits to hospitals, ERs, and urgent cares have dropped significantly in most areas of the United States. While some of these visits have been replaced by virtual care or have been rescheduled to a later date, many patients are avoiding emergent and urgent medical care, resulting in serious consequences and in some reports, even death.

“Patients are reluctant to seek urgent medical care at clinics or hospitals due to fear of the coronavirus. We want the public – especially those with life-threatening illnesses or injuries – to know that emergency departments are equipped to take care of you safely. They are following important protocols that protect against COVID-19 exposure.” explained SCP Health Enterprise Chief Medical Officer, Randy Pilgrim, MD, FACEP.

SCP has created a series of video messages from its clinical leaders across the country to help patients feel more comfortable returning to their local medical facilities and to understand the risks of deferring essential care. The #hEReforyou campaign, which SCP is sharing on its own social media platforms, is designed to help hospitals rebuild trust in their communities so that patients understand the availability and importance of necessary, in-person medical care.

View one of the #hEReforyou posts, a video message from SCP’s Enterprise Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Randy Pilgrim, by visiting SCP Health’s social media channels (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter).