DOVER — Bayhealth Emergency Physician Dr. Aamer Khan is doing what he’s always wanted and been trained to do. He’s on the front lines in keeping his community healthy and safe, even during a global pandemic when the stakes are even higher. Like many of his colleagues at Bayhealth’s three emergency departments, Dr. Khan is specially trained in emergency medicine.

At Yale School of Medicine, Dr. Khan found his calling in emergency medicine during his surgical residency where he spent a lot of time in the emergency room , handling traumas and treating critically ill patients. He continued his hands-on training there with four more years as an emergency medicine resident.

He interviewed at many hospitals across the U.S. to see where he wanted to settle with his family and continue his medical career. He found Bayhealth and Dover to be the perfect fit.

“I immediately had a good feeling when I visited and met the ER leadership and staff at Bayhealth,”  Dr. Khan said in a news release. “The way they functioned as a team, their excellent work and commitment to patient care—it was exactly what I was looking for. Dover is a nice place to live and for my wife and I to raise our family. Both of our young sons have been born at Bayhealth Hospital, Kent Campus.”

Dr. Khan and his fellow emergency staff have always been focused on providing safe and exceptional care. When COVID hit and limited visitation was put in place for added safety, communication with patients’ families also became a high priority.

“We’ve been reaching out to share information about their family member who’s come in and updating them on their condition. If it were my parents in the ER, I would want that, and the families have been very appreciative.”

Since the pandemic began, Dr. Khan has seen firsthand the harmful effects of people delaying necessary emergency care. He recalled one patient in his 50s having a severe heart attack after experiencing chest pain for four days and not taking action.

“Unfortunately, he was past the point where an intervention could be done to help him, and his heart damage was irreversible,” explained Dr. Khan. “Because he waited, he’s increased his chances of heart failure and having a second or third heart attack that could be fatal.”

Dr. Khan emphasized that getting timely care is crucial—in emergency situations as well as regular visits and screenings—so you don’t jeopardize your long-term health. That means going to the ER when you’re having serious symptoms and your gut tells you to do so. He said keeping up with your routine appointments is equally important as you’re always better off if something can be caught early and treated before it becomes a larger medical problem.

“We have taken all the precautions for everyone’s safety. Our environmental services team does an awesome job ensuring everything is sanitized to keep us and our patients safe,” said Dr. Khan. “Each of us plays an important part in providing safe and high-quality care for our community. We’re here whenever you need us and ready to care for you.”