INTRODUCTION

In order to face the COVID-19 pandemic and organize the health attention demand, in Bahía Blanca, Argentina, was implemented a device based on information and communication technologies. A telephone triage system was created, directed to people with symptoms compatible with COVID-19, to offer advice and relevant information about the disease. The present article aims to describe this implemented service, so that it can be reproduced since its application is simple and does not require great resources.

METHODS

The telephone operators were trained to answer the phone calls received in the 147 phone number, complete a database in a specific software, and carry out a triage with the assistance of a health professional. The people who called – citizens with or without health coverage- were classified in order to the case definition and its severity. Finally, the operator indicated the caller a conduct to follow.

RESULTS

2811 phone calls were received between the 07/01/2020 and the 10/20/2020. 81,6% were classified as green, 9% as yellow and 1,3% as red. The device offered attention to 17,3% of the COVID-19 positive cases in Bahía Blanca and 9% of the laboratory confirmed cases. The operators diagnosed 38% of the city positive cases defined by epidemiological or clinical criteria. This means that 605 patients were diagnosed and isolated, without the needing of going in person to a health institution.

DISCUSSION

The telephone triage is a versatile and affordable device that contributed to the functioning and performance of the health effectors in the context of COVID-19 pandemic.

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