The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #47611

Mary E. Roddy, PhD, School of Public Health, UT Houston SPH, 1101 Stanton, Suite 110, El Paso, TX 79902, 915-747-8500, mroddy@sph.uth.tmc.edu, Kathleen M O'Rourke, PhD, MPH, Biometry and Epidemiology, Medical University of South Carolina, 135 Rutledge Ave, Suite 1134, Charleston, SC 29425, and Michael H. Custer, Dr PH, United States Army Center for Health Promotion and Preventive Medicine, 1824 Hanson Road, Edgewood, MD 21040.

The purpose of this study was to identify the impact of a nursing triage line on patient satisfaction and wellness center utilization. Using standardized protocols, triage line nurses obtain information on the patient's symptoms and direct them to appropriate medical care. A total of 727 individuals were interviewed by phone to assess their satisfaction as well as awareness and use of wellness center activities. Overall, the vast majority of patients were either very satisfied or satisfied (96.7%) with the triage line. When appropriate nurses recommend that callers use services at the Wellness Center to improve their health through preventive activities. Approximately 31% of telephone survey respondents remembered a nurse recommendation that they use the Wellness Center services. Of these, 60% indicated that they intended to use these services. An additional evaluation of 1,859 Wellness Center users from March through May 2001 identified 140 (7.5%) who stated a triage nurse had referred them to the Wellness Center. Stress management, self-care, and weight control programs were most impacted by the triage line referrals, accounting for 25%, 19.8%, and 18.4% of clients, respectively. Clients referred from the triage line were significantly more likely to be younger than 40 years than other clients (50% vs. 25% respectively, p<0.001), and to be female (72.7% and 63.5% respectively, p=0.039). This study shows that callers are highly satisfied with the nursing triage line and the triage line is a useful means of increasing Wellness Center utilization, particularly for younger clients.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, the participant should will be able to

• Describe factors associated with patient satisfaction with a nurse-led telephone triage system in a managed-care setting.
• Compare demographic characteristics of Wellness Center clients who were referred by telephone triage nurses with clients who were referred by other services or providers.
• Describe utilization of Wellness Center preventative services for nurse triage referrals and non-nurse triage referrals.

Keywords: Managed Care, Nurse Managed Centers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: This grant was funded by Tri-Service Nursing, Proposal N00-001 MDA No.: 905-00-1-0004 Applicant Organization: Geneva Foundation The study was conducted at William Beaumont Army Medical Center, El Paso TX
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.