Open Forum

Essentially you are having the operator "triage" the call which I feel is not within their scope and a safety issue.  Even though they have a list it can never cover every issue.  Clinical calls should always be triaged by someone clinical and able to triage.  (in my opinion).

We are also using a "Red Flag" list for non-clinical Call Ctr staff to follow when screening calls, and recently revised the list in an attempt to better capture true urgent calls that need immediate triage by a nurse. I've attached our current version, which will be going into use soon.  Call Ctr reps will follow specific scripted questions consistent w/the Red Flag list. The reality in my organization, at least currently, is that we do not have the ability for nurses to be available to take incoming symptom calls directly. 

You can also do a search of the on-line library and find a few other examples of Red Flag lists from other organizations that have been posted in years past.  

Attachment(s)

Red Flag.pdf   566 KB 1 version

I have worked with the call centers using a list at the last two organizations that I have been with.  It is definitely hard to capture everything that will come through on the calls.  We will be moving to SymptomScreen this year.  If you are familiar with ClearTriage, it is also offered by this company.  Per their website 'SymptomScreen is an online tool specifically designed to let your call center agents and schedulers rapidly yet consistently screen patients for the most common serious complications of sick calls".  I have not used a system like this before but I am looking forward to seeing positive outcomes. 

I manage an adult primary care practice with no call center, we have assigned clerical or clinical non-licensed staff answering the calls and essentially triaging calls before they get to the nurse or provider (we call them central scheduling since they mostly schedule appointments).  Attached is what we came up with as a reference for the non-licensed staff to follow.  Hope this helps.

Attachment(s)

Central Scheduling Guidelines 2.7.22.xlsx   29 KB 1 version

Karen,

The clinic group I work for has a "Red Flag" policy for our call center to address patients calling with urgent symptoms. If they get a call from a patient reporting any of the symptoms on the list, they will warm transfer it to our "red line" for nurses. The red line number they use automatically pushes the call to the top of the list and the call routes to the first available triage nurse. We have many clinic locations so the call could be answered by a nurse at any of our locations and not necessarily the clinic the patient is usually seen at. I have attached both our policy and a list of the red flag symptoms it applies to.

Attachment(s)

Red Flag Symptoms, Telephone (17879_5).docx   23 KB 1 version

Red Flag Symptoms (18682_5).docx   25 KB 1 version

Like Melissa, our organization has a Patient Line that answers the phone calls for primary care and some specialties.  If a non-clinical agent (they answer the phone) hears a "Red Flag" symptom, rather than send to any nurse in the call center, that patient is warm-transferred to the clinic nurse where the patient sees their PCP.