Nurse Advice Line benefits patients

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Abigail Klein
  • 28th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  Ellsworth Airmen and their families now have another method of receiving medical attention during or after duty hours with the institution of the 28th Medical Group's Nurse Advice Line, launched Nov. 14.

The Nurse Advice Line was implemented after Air Combat Command was recently awarded a service contract for a centralized nurse telephone triage. This contract partnered ACC and the 28 MDG with CareNet, a nursing triage service already utilized by nine other Air Force and Army military treatment centers.

This service provides 28 MDG beneficiaries a more immediate option for medical attention. For example, instead of waiting for a scheduled appointment with a primary care manager to treat their symptoms, people can now receive advice over the phone for a variety of ailments, said Lt. Col. David Roll, 28 MDOS commander.

"The nurse triage is symptom-based," said Capt. David Bushman, 28th Medical Operations Squadron Family Health Clinic nurse manager. "This means depending on a caller's symptoms, the nurse will advise them where they need to go for urgent or emergency room care or whether they can take care of the problem at home."

The nurses working for the triage line follow strict protocols to ensure the highest standard of care is provided. The 28 MDG also receives a fax every time the nurse triage is used and what events occurred during the call to help ensure proper patient care, Colonel Roll said.

If the nurse advises urgent or emergent care to a caller, then the 28 MDG will enter a referral for the caller when they receive the triage report. If a caller is in need of service outside of the area, the 28 MDG will aide in utilizing the Tricare locator to find the nearest treatment facility.

If a caller already knows the facility they will visit, the nurses will notate the name and address of the facility on the triage report, Colonel Roll said. The nurses will also direct the caller to contact their primary care manager the next duty day. These services will provide patients with a timely nursing triage - 30 minutes is the average wait.

The nurse advice line will also enable people to better understand their specific diagnosis or condition, become educated on self-care for non-urgent injuries and illnesses, improve their knowledge of drugs and medications and provide information about chronic conditions, Colonel Roll said.

Patients, however, are not the only ones to benefit from the upgrade. This will also provide relief for doctors with their work load and stress levels, possibly even aiding their decision to stay in their career field, Captain Bushman said.

The nurse advice line is free and can be reached by dialing (605) 385-6700; it is available to all 28 MDG beneficiaries including retirees and family members.