An Oklahoma City mother had an extremely sick child and was convinced that the best plan of action was going to the emergency room to find out what was wrong. However, she couldn't reach her pediatrician; she only could get his answering service. Before leaving for the ER, the mother called Doctor On Call and had a Board Certified physician on the phone within 30 seconds. The doctor was able to inform her that, based on the information she provided on the phone, it would be safe to wait to call the child's pediatrician the next morning as long as the child continued to take Acetaminophen or Ibuprofen. The following day, the mother took her child to her regular doctor, who diagnosed and treated the child. The mother said it made her feel better talking to a knowledgeable doctor during the "crisis." And it put her mind at ease that she simply could care for her child at home and wait until she could schedule a regular doctor's office visit the next day.

Another patient received medicine for cold sores around her mouth. She was unsure of how to take the medication because the prescribing doctor had a waiting room full of patients and did not take time to fully explain the medication's use. If she had called our Doctor On Call physician, she would known the proper way to take the medicine to relieve the discomfort and would understand other ways to prevent outbreaks. Information on how to avoid transmission of the virus also would be available from the Doctor On Call physician.