Pediatric Telephone Advice

Submitted by tld on December 19, 2005 - 21:13.

A friend recommended a book called "Pediatric Telephone Advice". It serves as a training manual for pediatric triage, reference book for ped office staff etc. First edition was in 1980. I have the 3rd edition (2004). It goes through the telephone protocol and decision making guidelines that the nurses use when you call a pediatrician office and speak to a nurse. Symptom definition, diagnosis criteria, multiple symptoms, initial assessment questions etc. It also discusses how they delegate what goes to a PNP, PA, RN, LPN, MD etc. It then goes through a variety of items (fainting, poison, breathing difficulty, seizure, abdominal pain, bee sting, chicken pox etc.) and what they would ask, recommend etc. (see immediately, follow up in 24 hours, treat at home etc.). It's very interesting. I'm not suggesting this book replace medical advice, but it's certainly something to reference. If nothing else it helps you understand what they are going to ask, when, why etc. so you can be prepared to answer.

( categories: Illnesses )
pediatric triage
Submitted by HighMaintenanceMom on December 22, 2005 - 14:15.

I wish I had the book with us now. I also wish we had brought our odoscope. We are currently in Canada and suspect ear infections in both boys. Baby Entropy screamed on the plane flights - more about that later - and has had trouble lying down. Last night he stood up in his crib crying while holding his left ear. B didn't sleep very well last night and complained that his ears hurt. I called our pediatrician and he wants us to go to the emergency room up here to be seen. It's not that I don't want to help my kids, but it would be nice to be able to decipher whether their chronic ear infections have returned or they are having difficulty adjusting to different allergens and a new environment prior to spending time in an emergency room. Although the book would probably not be able to answer my exact issue, it sounds like a great book to take on any international trip!

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The problems of pediatric telephonic advices!
Submitted by dogbert on January 9, 2006 - 09:03.

Yeah I agree wid ya. followin prblms r also faced by majority of pples. In reality, there r a no. of reazons tht phone care reimbursemen z lackin. 1st, when telephone services are reported, many plans contend tht phone care z a part of the normal pre- and postvisit office E&M codes n deny payment on the basis tht this care z already included in the RVUs surveyed n assigned 4 those services. 2nd, a substantial portion of pediatric-phone-care is provided by nurses, n nun of the telephone codes apply 2 non-physician providers of triage and/or advice.

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