This manual describes the steps to establishing and maintaining an effective, cost-efficient telephone care system. Patient calls to family practices cover a wide range of medical conditions, and an effective system for telephone triage and advice is essential for ensuring quality care and patient satisfaction. Includes adult and OB/GYN examples as well as pediatric content to create a comprehensive guide to establishing and running a telephone triage program for the busy family practice. Topics covered in this complete "how-to" resource include: Planning the system and assigning responsibilities - Telephone triage and advice guidelines - Training of care providers - Job descriptions, staffing, and retention - Caller satisfaction and complaint resolution - Reimbursement for telephonecare - Legal issues and risk reduction - After-hours telephone care and triage - And much more!