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Web Tool to Help H1N1 Patients Decide When to Seek Medical Assistance
Microsoft Corp. has launched a new Web site designed to help patients with suspected H1N1 decide when to seek medical attention, the Associated Press reports. The online system employs the same triage calculation used by Emory University physicians, which was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Specifically, the Web site queries individuals about their underlying health, age and any symptoms they may be experiencing, including fever or shortness of breath. The program then determines whether one should seek medical attention or whether fluids and rest are adequate. A large insurer piloted the tool against more than 2,500 records of patient visits for flulike symptoms in Colorado, and just two patients deemed low-risk were hospitalized within the two-week test. The tool is one of several created to prevent less ill individuals from seeking care in already overcrowded emergency departments (AP/Yahoo! News, 10/7/09).