What our patients should expect:
UMHS health centers and clinics are taking all necessary precautions to evaluate, treat, and prevent H1N1 flu among patients, staff, and throughout our local communities. Below is a description of what our patients might expect:
- Patients who call clinics to schedule an appointment for any purpose may be asked a series of questions to determine if they are at high risk for H1N1 flu.
- Symptoms may include a fever of 100.5 F degrees or more (38 C degrees) and cough, headache, body aches, or running nose. Patients with these symptoms and/or who have traveled in the last seven days to an area where there have been H1N1 flu cases or have been exposed to someone with flu-like illness in the last seven days may be evaluated.
- Only those patients who meet criteria provided by the Federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will be tested for H1N1 flu.
- If it is determined that a patient should be seen for evaluation, necessary steps will be taken to reduce the possibility that the patient might infect others. This means the patient will be asked to wear a mask and may be directed to a separate waiting or exam room. Clinic staff seeing this patient will also wear a mask, as well as eye protection, gloves, and a gown. This is necessary to prevent the spread of virus in case the patient actually has H1N1 flu.
- Clinicians may swab the nose of the patient for laboratory testing.
- Clinicians may also notify local county public health department of the test to track the disease.
- At this time, treatment for H1N1 flu (antiviral medications) will be prescribed only for patients where there is strong clinical suspicion of H1N1 flu.
UMHS will continue to monitor this situation and update its diagnosis and treatment guidelines as necessary. If you have any questions, please contact your Primary Care Physician.
