D Magazine source article 

Is DFW Scared to Death?

April data show North Texas residents are less likely to call 911, and those who do are often waiting until it's too late.

BY WILL MADDOX

MAY 8, 2020

 

https://www.dmagazine.com/healthcare-business/2020/05/is-dfw-scared-to-death/

North Texas residents are still calling 911 infrequently and visiting the doctor less, and it is resulting in a higher rate of patients who are pronounced dead when EMS crews arrive after an emergency call, according to data from North Texas emergency response service MedStar.

Compared to April 2019, the number of patients who were in cardiac arrest was up 113 percent in April this year. Of those patients, the number who were pronounced dead on the scene by MedStar crews rose 164 percent relative to last April. This data is similar to results from March, which reflected similar if less drastic changes in behavior around calling 911 and cardiac arrest.

The increases in cardiac arrest and deaths was even more striking considering total volume is down 19 percent compared to January, and total ambulance transports to the hospital are down 28 percent in that same time period.

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