“We’ve seen patients delay care because they want to see if things will potentially get better on their own, or they don’t want to interact with the hospital or they are concerned about getting COVID-19,” said Dr. Richard Dalyai, a vascular neurosurgeon with Vidant Health.

While Dr. Richard Dalyai understands those concerns, he’s also worried about what it may mean for the stroke patients he serves.

“Patients in eastern North Carolina are about four times more likely to die of a stroke than North Carolina itself,” said Dr. Dalyai. “We know that the treatments that we do are highly effective, but they are most effective within a four, six or eight-hour window.”

Time is of the essence for many of the conditions Vidant treats.

“Eastern North Carolina has a population with a lot of comorbid conditions and chronic conditions, like heart disease and cancer, diabetes, strokes,” said Brian Floyd, chief operating officer for Vidant Health. “We’ve built a health system here to manage that and help people deal with those chronic conditions.”

Vidant is ready and safe.

“Vidant has been working very hard for months now to make sure this is a safe place,” said Floyd.

“Our standards remain the same, of excellent care,” Dr. Dalyai said. “During the pandemic, for patients with COVID-19, as well as for patients without COVID-19.”

Those standards apply to providing sound medical advice as well.

“It’s a confusing time, sorting through medical information that’s available on social media and through the internet,” said Dr. Dalyai. “To get the proper and best information is going to be from your health care provider.”

Vidant has a Community Resource Line available 12 hours a day. That number is 252-847-8000 and answered from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.