Design and Implementation of a Telephone Triage/Advice Service: An Instrument of Demand Management at USA Medical Department Activity-Heidelberg.
Abstract
Demand management has emerged as a strategy for health care organizations to reduce costs by encouraging appropriate use of health services. Demand management systems may involve health care "gatekeepers," prevention and wellness programs, self-care instruction, and frequently employ telephone triage and advice capabilities Telephonic triage at military installations in Europe is in its infancy. The financial pressures of the newly fielded TRICARE-Europe, and the cessation of the CHAMPUS demonstration project provided an opportunity to implement a telephone triage and advice service as part of an integrated demand management system at a medium sized, military community hospital in Germany. This project discusses the design and implementation of a telephone triage and advice system as part of an emerging demand management strategy, supporting the TRICARE primary care manager as it applies to the United States Army Medical Department Activity-Heidelberg, Germany. The paper describes various systems under consideration , outlines the decision making process using the Judge model decision support instrument and discusses pertinent personnel, procurement, facility, and legal and ethical issue involved in implementation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA372242
Entities
People
- Priscilla H. Hamilton
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences