CONSULTATION 

Telephone Triage Consulting, Inc., offers consultation to a variety of small and large organizations. 

Our client base includes solo and group medical practices, clinics (including Federally Qualified

Health Centers), various types of clinical call centers, home health agencies, urgent care centers,

emergency departments, and other ambulatory practice settings.  We have also provided services

to a number of state and federal agencies including the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Veterans

Administration, among others.

 

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION

Education and training options are also available for nurses and other members of the healthcare

team. The focus of our consultation and training is on Telephone Triage as Professional Nursing

Practice, Program Design and Implementation, Risk Management, and the provision of safe and effective care by telephone. Combined with consultation or as stand-alone offerings, presentations may be customized to suit the needs of each organization and are available for RNs, physicians, administrators, and others involved in the provision of care over the telephone. 

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​PROGRAM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION 
While management of patients by telephone is common, few organizations have given thought to formalization of the process. Consultation is available on program design and implementation as well as evaluation of existing programs. Areas of emphasis could include strategic planning, risk assessment, staffing, call intake and routing, policy development, protocol selection, medical record design and quality management.

 

RISK MANAGEMENT 

Risks are inherent to any area of nursing practice. The key to avoiding bad outcomes related to the delivery of care by telephone rests largely in knowing where the “mine fields” are and how to avoid them. Evaluation of organizational risk and strategic planning to reduce that risk is an area of emphasis which may be incorporated into consultation, training, or as a stand-alone option. Lessons learned from Carol’s experience as an expert witness in litigation relative to telephone triage provides unique perspective on risk management.

 

EXPERT WITNESS EXPERIENCE
Carol Rutenberg, nationally certified in Telephone Nursing Practice and Ambulatory Care Nursing, has served as an expert witness for both the plaintiff and the defense in the areas of telehealth nursing practice and ambulatory. Carol is qualified as an expert in the areas of Telephone Triage nursing practice and ambulatory care due to her experience as a clinician, educator, researcher, consultant and author. Additionally, her background in nursing management and her master’s degree in nursing administration enhance her ability to identify and apply standards of practice for professional nurses.