The following guidelines have been developed by the ANMC emergency physicians so that we can best assist you with the care of your patients in the Bush. We know that it is often difficult to talk to us as quickly as you would like and we appreciate your patience. Here are some simple requests which can help expedite patient care:
FOR NON-EMERGENCY CONSULTATIONS WITH PHYSICIAN:
- See the patient in person before calling.
- Evaluate the patient and get complete vital signs, including temperature and oxygen saturation.
- Do at least a brief physical exam on all trauma patients.
- Do a complete physical exam for all medical or stable trauma patients (you are our eyes and our hands!).
- During office hours (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) call your village doctor for non-emergencies.
- Fill out a clinic H&P form and fax it to Family Medicine Clinic (during office hours) or to ANMC Emergency Department, 907-729-1759 (if it is an emergency or it is after office hours).
- Call FMC (during office hours) or ED (after hours), identify yourself to the secretary by your name and village, tell him/her that you do not have a major emergency and that you have sent a fax in order to consult with the physician. Please provide a call back number where we can reach you within approximately one hour. Please let us or the CHAP program know if it is routinely taking longer than expected to get return calls from our ANMC providers, so that we can help improve our system.
FOR EMERGENCY EVACUATIONS:
- Do all of the above EXCEPT the paperwork/fax.
- When you call the ANMC ED (907-729-1729), identify yourself with your name, clinic, and village. Immediately state that you have an emergency and need to talk to the doctor--"this is a stat health aide call."
- Once the physician has decided to provide evacuation, he/she will speak with the ANMC Nursing Supervisor, who will make arrangements for either emergency evacuation or commercial air transportation of the patient to Anchorage. The Nursing Supervisor will call you back with arrangements.
