Your Action Can Protect Healthcare in Wheat Ridge
Thank you for learning more about the potential negative impacts of lifting the Freestanding Emergency Department (FSED) moratorium in Wheat Ridge. A proposal to lift the moratorium poses a dangerous risk to our community's access to timely and comprehensive emergency medical care.
Here’s why we’re concerned:
Confusion in Emergencies
Knowing where to go in a serious medical situation is critical. An FSED may not be equipped to handle complex emergencies, potentially leading to misdirection and dangerous delays in receiving life-saving treatment at a full-service hospital.
Community Safety
Wheat Ridge has a high concentration of older adults, who are at risk of complex medical emergencies. FSEDs are not equipped to provide the time-sensitive care required for strokes, heart attacks and other life-threating conditions.
Treatment Time
Transferring patients can cause dangerous delays in care when every minute counts.
Lutheran: Our Strong Local Resource
Wheat Ridge is already well-served by the award-winning emergency department at Lutheran Hospital, which is conveniently located and fully equipped to handle all levels of medical emergencies. Lutheran has proudly served the community for more than 120 years. There is no need for a lower-acuity FSED in Wheat Ridge.
Out-of-Community Transfers
Some hospital systems use FSEDs to build their business, potentially transferring patients requiring more specialized care out of Wheat Ridge, away from their support systems.
Strain on Our EMS
Adding another layer to our emergency response system can strain our local EMS resources, potentially hurting response times for other emergencies in our community.
Don't let this unnecessary and potentially harmful proposal move forward.
Act Today:
Your voice is crucial. Please email your Wheat Ridge City Council representative and urge them to maintain the moratorium on Freestanding Emergency Departments. Let them know you prioritize clear, efficient and full-service emergency care.