Telephone triage of patients with influenza.

摘要

The current H1N1 influenza (swine flu) outbreak has patients and physicians understandably concerned. Many people with a respiratory illness want to get examined, but physicians are concerned about spreading illness among other patients in their waiting rooms. It would be helpful to have a protocol to decide which patients need to be examined and which ones might be able to have empiric treatment. This editorial outlines one such approach, based on the epidemiology and clinical characteristics of influenza virus infection.