Ask Mayo Clinic health information nurse line service ends Jan. 1

The Ask Mayo Clinic service is being discontinued because of low utilization, high costs and duplication of community efforts, said Sandy Haire of Benefits and Employment Services (HR-B). The health information line was part of the Lab's Positive Health Directions preventive health and maintenance program sponsored by Occupational Medicine (HSR-2) and Benefits and Employment Services (HR-B).

Los Alamos Medical Center physicians coordinate a call system for most Los Alamos family practitioners, internists and pediatricians. The system consists of two call groups; one for adult medicine answered by the family practitioners and internists; and one for pediatrics answered by local pediatricians. Los Alamos physicians provide this service to the community by taking rotating shifts as the doctor on call.

During office hours, Lab workers should call their doctor's office, but after hours, they can access either the adult medicine or pediatric call group by calling the main Los Alamos Medical Center information line at 662-4201. The hospital operator will answer the call. At this time the caller can request to talk to the doctor on call; if it is an emergency, the caller will be transferred to the nurse in the emergency room for triage. When asking for the doctor on call, the caller will likely be connected with an answering service, which will conduct a brief interview prior to contacting the physician and linking in the caller.

These call groups are available to all Laboratory workers regardless of home location. Lab workers don't need to live in Los Alamos or be a patient of a Los Alamos Medical Center physician to use this service.

If the medical situation is determined to be an emergency, callers will be referred to the closest medical facility. Laboratory workers preferring advice from their personal health care provider should check to see if their physician offers a similar service.

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