Reduction in the spread of influenza. Increased office efficiency. Patients calling in with flu-like symptoms can be triaged by a nurse. The test can be administered by the nurse, and physician encounters can be decreased when influenza is diagnosed. Increased patient satisfaction.
Throat swabs are very patient friendly and quick to collect.
Patients feels like something has been done to tell them why they are feeling badly. With a definitive influenza diagnosis, the physician can set expectations on when the patient will get better and families know better how to plan their lives around the illness. Increased member satisfaction. Treatment for influenza, which relies on a definitive diagnosis, allows more employees to continue working or return to work sooner. Fewer work days are lost to influenza and its complications - a point greatly appreciated by employers and employees alike.