Introduction to Flu on Call: A National CDC Effort to Assist in Pandemic Influenza Preparedness and Response

BACKGROUND:   Flu on Call™ is a CDC-led initiative developed in collaboration with its partners (including ASTHO, NACCHO, CSTE, and PHMC), to establish a national network of triage lines to serve the public in the event of a severe pandemic. The goals of Flu on Call™ are to: 1) improve access to antiviral medications for those who need this medication; 2) provide an alternative to face-to-face provider encounters; and 3) reduce the surge of medical facilities. Through partnerships with 2-1-1 centers and poison control centers (PCCs), during a severe pandemic, Flu on Call™ will operate as a toll-free telephone triage line that will be staffed to provide information or medical triage to callers. People who need information only will be guided to appropriate resources by 2-1-1 information specialists and people who are ill will be able to discuss care and treatment options with clinicians associated with poison control centers. If the caller’s symptoms meet certain criteria as determined by a protocol, the PCC clinician may be able to provide access to a prescription for antivirals by telephone. By the end of the session, participants will be able to: 1) Identify an appropriate situation for when Flu on Call™ might be activated. 2) Describe possible scenarios for the implementation of Flu on Call™. 3) Describe the role of epidemiologists in the planning, activation and implementation of Flu on Call™.

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CONCLUSIONS: None