Referring physicians desiring quick and easy access to St. Louis Children’s Hospital (SLCH) and Washington University School of Medicine physicians now need to remember just one telephone number: 800.678.HELP (4357). Called Children’s Direct, this access line is an immediate link for referring physicians when they need to obtain urgent or routine consultations, schedule appointments with specialists, admit patients to the hospital, or request patient information. In addition, physicians may use Children’s Direct to register for continuing medical education (CME) sessions or to make inquiries regarding any topic related to Children’s Hospital.
“In essence, this is a concierge service designed to save time for our referring physicians,” says Julie Bruns, director of the SLCH Answer Line/Children’s Direct. “Our Children’s Direct representatives have an in-depth knowledge of Children’s Hospital, its departments and how to access any information needed by referring physicians.”
She adds, “Physicians’ staff members may take advantage of this service as well to schedule patient appointments with our attending physicians. We will not only set up the appointment and follow-up with the physicians’ office, but also will contact the patient’s family with the time and any further instructions they need.”
Among Children’s Direct’s roles is facilitating requests from referring physicians for urgent consultations with specialists within five minutes of receiving a call. Through the commitment of the Washington University specialists, this goal is met almost 90 percent of the time.
Bruns and Susan Schuh, SLCH business planning and development manager, led a small group of SLCH and WUSM staff members in designing the service based on input from a pilot group of physicians’ offices and information gathered from similar programs throughout the country.
“Speaking for my WUSM pediatric colleagues, we are intent on being helpful and accessible to our referring physicians,” says Robert Rothbaum, MD, SLCH medical staff president. Dr. Rothbaum is the medical advisor for Children’s Direct and was part of the group who designed the service. “That’s why I got involved in the development of Children’s Direct and am committed to its growth and success.”
“We offer a similar service to WUSM physicians needing to quickly contact community physicians about their referred patients, a ‘reverse consult’. We act as the liaison so that neither physician needs to be tied up on the phone,” says Bruns.
Another area in which Children’s Direct representatives respond quickly is to requests for information on hospitalized patients. In most cases, the information is provided immediately over the phone or faxed to physicians’ offices the same day.
“Our goal is to ensure convenience for whomever uses the service,” says Davina Hyatt, Children’s Direct coordinator. “We’ll do the legwork and let the physicians and their staff members keep focusing on patient care.”
Children’s Direct hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. From 5 p.m. to 8 a.m. weekdays and on weekends calls to Children’s Direct are routed to the hospital’s operators.
For additional information about the service, contact its coordinator, Davina Hyatt, through the Children’s Direct number, 800.678.HELP (4357).