ZIP Advertisement Headed to your annual checkup? A doctor breaks down the health issues you should pay attention to Share Updated: 3:12 PM CDT Jun 3, 2021 By Katia Hetter, CNN Headed to your annual checkup? A doctor breaks down the health issues you should pay attention to Share Updated: 3:12 PM CDT Jun 3, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript IT COULD PUT YOU AT RISK OF IDENTITY THEFT. THE CDC REPORTS THAT 41% OF AMERICAN ADULTS HAVE DELAYED OR AVOIDED MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE OF CONCERNS ABOUT COVID-19. TY: JOINING US NOW IS FOLSOM DOCTOR KATHLEEN BAKER, WHO HAS SEEN THIS TREND FIRSTHAND IN HER ER. FIRST, THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE IT. >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. GOOD MORNING, TY AND TONI. GOOD MORNING, DR. BAKER, WHAT IS THE MOST COMMON TY:, AND ONE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED HAD PEOPLE SHOWING UP FOR REGULAR VISITS? >> WE ARE STILL SEEING THE EVERYDAY EMERGENCIES WE HAD BEEN PRE-PANDEMIC. I CONCERN, AND AS A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER AND PHYSICIAN IS THAT PATIENTS HAVE BEEN DELAYING SEEKING CARE. I WOULD LIKE TO BE A VOICE OF REASSURANCE TO OUR COMMUNITY, I REGION, OUR PATIENTS TO NOT DELAY CARE AND TO SEEK CARE WHERE YOU NEED IT. TONI: WE KNOW PEOPLE WERE AVOIDING IT VERY MUCH SO IN THE BEGINNING. ARE THEY STILL AVOIDING IT AS MUCH NOW? WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THAT? >> YES, WE THINK THEY ARE STILL DELAYING CARE. DATA SHOWS WE ARE HAVING INCREASED OUT OF HOSPITAL DEATHS. MORE PATIENTS WHO COME IN WITH CARDIAC ARREST RATHER THAN COMING IN EARLIER WHEN THEY HAVE CHEST PAINS, FOR EXAMPLE. I HAVE HAD A CASE OF A PATIENT WHO FORTUNATELY STILL HAD A GOOD OUTCOME BUT DEFINITELY HAD A DELAY IN CARE FOR CARDIAC CHEST PAINS. AS WE SAY IN MEDICINE, TIME CAN BE MUSCLE. WE DO NOT WANT TO DELAY CARE AND EFFECT THAT HARD MUSCLE. TY: HOW WOULD YOU SAY INCREASED ALCOHOLISM, ADDICTION AND ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION DURING THE PANDEMIC HAS PLAYED INTO THE ER VISITS? I’M ASSUMING THERE IS A CONNECTION. >> DEFINITELY. WE HAVE SEEN ARISE. IT IS A DIFFICULT BALANCE. WE ARE ASKING PATIENTS AND COMMUNITIES TO STAY HOME, SOCIALLY DISTANCE, ISOLATE. I WOULD ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO GET OUTSIDE AND DO THINGS THAT DECREASE THEIR STRESS IN A MORE HEALTHY MANNER. WE DO HAVE CARE FOR THOSE PATIENTS WITH SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS, AND WE WELCOME THEM TO COME TO OUR EMERGENCY APARTMENTS OR LOCAL CLINICS. THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN HELP THEM WITH. TONI: WHO SHOULD BE SEEKING CARE? TALK ABOUT THE STEPS YOU GUYS ARE TAKING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE. ISN’T THIS THE SAFEST PLACE TO BE? >> YOU KNOW, THE HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIANS HAVE BEEN EXPERTS AT STERILIZATION AND CLEANING TECHNIQUES FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, SINCE THE MID-19 CENTURY. WE WERE THE ORIGINALS. I WOULD DEFINITELY ENCOURAGE OUR COMMUNITY AND REGION THAT ARE HOSPITALS AND PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN OFFICE OR YOUR LOCAL CLINIC IS SAFE, THAT WE ARE DOING GREAT PRECAUTIONS, AND WE HAVE BEEN. THIS HAS BEEN ROUTINE FOR OVER A YEAR, NOT ONLY KEEPING PATIENTS SAFE AS WELL AS STAFF SAFE AND WE HAVE GOOD PROCEDURES AND PROTOCOLS IN PLACE TO KEEP REALLY EVERYONE SAFE AND TO BE ABLE TO SEEK CARE. TY: DR. BAKER, WE APPRECIATE ALL THE EXTRA WORK YOU ON THE FRONT LINES ARE DOING TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND HEALTHY. THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME. >> HAVE A GREAT