AAP News Vol. 13 No. 12 December 1997, p. 22
© 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
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After-hours calls safe with well-trained triage center staff

Barton D. Schmitt M.D., FAAP and Hanna B. Sherman M.D., FAAP

More and more pediatricians are signing out their after-hours patient calls to pediatric call centers. At these centers, specially trained nurses provide standardized triage and advice to parent callers.

The demand for this service came about because of the increase in evening calls from working parents unable to call during regular office hours. In addition, since illness can occur at any time and many pediatric offices are only open 50 hours a week, most clinical care often is provided over the telephone. Understandably, many physicians began to question their heavy work load and the added burden of after-hours patient calls.