As a provider, you most likely will be contacted by your patients with symptoms of viruses. It is projected that over 80% of COVID-19 cases can be managed at home, through home isolation, as symptoms are usually milder in your younger or healthier patients. It is best to reserve our hospitals and their resources for the sickest patients.
The CDC is guiding providers to triage and manage cases via telephone with screening questions in hopes to encourage home quarantine for self-care when this is an option. Questions you should ask your patients include:
- Have you traveled to any areas where active coronavirus outbreaks have occurred?
- Do you currently have a fever or any lower respiratory illnesses such as a severe productive cough, shortness of breath, chest tightness or wheezing when you exhale?
- Have you been in close contact (less than 6 feet) to anyone who is under investigation for coronavirus while that person was ill?
If during your telephone interview with the patient, you feel that they are exhibiting serious respiratory symptoms, you should direct them to the emergency room. If you need to discuss your findings with a clinician, you can contact HCP at our Real Time Resolution ®(RTR) Center for urgent time sensitive patient care 24/7 at (866) 925-0199.
Information from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html