title: Urgent care center pediatric telephone advice.
abstract: Pediatric telephone advice is sought frequently by members of the community. This study was undertaken to evaluate the quality and accuracy of pediatric telephone advice given by free-standing urgent care centers. One hundred such facilities were telephoned and advice was requested by a research assistant. A case was presented that could have represented a pediatric medical emergency. Overall only 17 centers gave adequate advice. The data suggest that under some circumstances free-standing urgent care center pediatric telephone advice may be inaccurate and inappropriate. Workable policies and protocols for pediatric telephone advice should be instituted by these facilities.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Care Center, Mercy Hospital, Scranton, PA 18501.
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: O'Brien
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000592:standards*; D004630:Emergencies / Q000451:nursing; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000592:standards*; D006701:Home Nursing; D015277:Hotlines; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male