Most Patients Who Contact Telenurse Follow Advice

According to a study conducted by Dr. Bev Williams, associate professor at the University of Alberta in Canada, most patients who called a telephone health advice line known as LINK followed the advice they were given by a telenurse. Through LINK, qualified nurses are available via the telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address callers’ health concerns and suggest appropriate lines of treatment. The advice given by LINK nurses is regularly reviewed to ensure it is in accordance with evidence-based treatment protocols.

According to a study conducted by Dr. Bev Williams, associate professor at the University of Alberta in Canada, most patients who called a telephone health advice line known as LINK followed the advice they were given by a telenurse. Through LINK, qualified nurses are available via the telephone 24 hours a day, seven days a week to address callers’ health concerns and suggest appropriate lines of treatment. The advice given by LINK nurses is regularly reviewed to ensure it is in accordance with evidence-based treatment protocols. At the end of the call, the nurse will suggest one of the following courses for the patient:

• Practice self-care at home
• Make a doctor’s appointment
• Visit an emergency room
• Call 911

In the study, Williams and her teams of researchers spoke to 312 people who called the LINK helpline in Alberta. The study showed that seven of every eight people who called the nurse telephone line followed the nurse’s advice. According to the study, 92 percent of callers were women and most were between the ages of 18 and 29.

This study is an excellent illustration of how effective remote medicine can be, and of how readily it is being adopted. As the sector continues to grow, GlobalMed will be on the cutting-edge of telemedicine solutions.