It is easy for physicians to diagnose the flu over the phone because patients displaying flu-like symptoms have more than a 90 percent chance of actually being sick with influenza, William Schaffner, MD, told ABC. Dr. Schaffner is chair of preventive medicine at Nashville, Tenn.-based Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
Plus, rapid influenza tests produce false negatives in adults about 25 percent of the time, according to the report. By using telemedicine for flu diagnosis, it saves the cost of the test and a physician appointment.
Physicians prescribe antiviral medicine over the phone and advise a family member pick it up for the sick patient.
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