When callers in need of medical assistance phone our Medical Call Center, they will first hear a disclaimer stating that if they are experiencing an emergency, they should hang up and call 911. Callers will then have the option of being connected to the audio health library, or speaking immediately with a Registered Nurse. If a caller chooses to speak with a nurse, the nurse will document and discuss the patient’s symptoms and recommend an appropriate course of action. If all nurses are busy when a patient calls, a Health Service Representative (HSR) will take a message and the next available nurse will call that person back.  Fonemed’s Registered Nurses have an average of 10 years of clinical experience.  Callers are never put on hold.

With Fonemed’s software, the triage nurse will have at his or her fingertips the patient’s recent call history and the patient’s doctor and coverage information (if applicable). For the actual triage process, the nurse will be using the Schmitt/Thompson medical protocols that will allow her to direct the patient to the appropriate care for his or her situation. This could mean advising the patient to go to the Emergency Room immediately, helping the patient with home care, or recommending an appointment with the appropriate medical provider. In the event a doctor’s visit is suggested, the nurse will tell the patient how soon to see the doctor, and the patient’s call record will be transferred directly to the doctor’s office.