Telephonic Nurse Triage Saves Lives!
When I got into this business I did not necessarily consider just how much impact we may have in someone’s life. I saw a market segment that needed an infusion of technology and some fresh ideas to make the industry better. Little did I know that I would have the privilege of sharing a story such as this.
This is a recent scenario that TriageNow handled; the names have been changed of course, but the story is very real.
As is a typical day at TriageNow, calls were coming into the call center at a rapid pace. This is great for our business, but of course unfortunately means that people are getting hurt on the job. Most of the calls are typically workplace injuries such as sprains and strains, bruises, and minor pain and soreness. However, one of the calls that one of the Registered Nurse took involved an injury that is a little more serious than a “typical” injury.
Our RN “Cathy” answered a call from a worker who presented himself as having a pain in his leg. He stated that he had informed his Supervisor of the injury and was headed home to lie down for a bit instead of going to a clinic. He did not think there was cause for concern but he called the TriageNow hotline as instructed by the Supervisor while on his way home. On the surface, there was not anything glaringly obviously wrong with this individual, and he felt like if he just went home and lay down for a while he might feel better.
After following the proprietary algorithms that we use for injury care, the nurse determined this individual was experiencing symptoms of a blood clot. Since he was already driving himself home, the nurse redirected him to a nearby hospital instead of his home. Without a doubt, this persons very life was at risk and by calling TriageNow, he adverted what could have been disastrous to him and his family.
Although we advertise our service as a solution for reducing work comp costs and helping guide injured employees to the appropriate level of care, on occasion we have a little more reach. We advise our clients to call Emergency Medical Services for a life or limb threatening situation, but we can sometimes help with a situation that is not so obviously a life-threatening situation. By using a service such as ours instead of having field managers and supervisors make medical decisions, not only are you taking the risk off of your company, but you have Medical Professionals handling workplace injuries. Although the above example seems a little extreme, it happens more often than you think.
Protect your employees; protect your company….get TriageNow!
Chad Haas
President & CEO
TriageNow