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InstaCare Online

Instructions for Using
InstaCare Online

The first purpose of these guidelines (topics) is to help you determine how sick you are and if you need to call your doctor. The second purpose is to help you treat yourself at home when it is safe to do so. Your doctor's advice and your good judgment should always take precedence over information in these guidelines.

Choose the Appropriate Topic: Topics can be found 2 ways: alphabetically by symptom and anatomically by part of the body involved. The body part list is most helpful if you're not sure what to call your symptom (e.g., Abdomen & GI Symptoms gives you five symptoms to choose from).
- Choose the symptom that most closely matches your condition or illness. If you have more than one symptom, address the most serious symptom. Serious means the symptom that potentially could cause the most harm to you. (Example: for nosebleed and head injury together, use the Head Trauma guideline.) If you aren't sure, use more than one guideline.
- CAUTION: Don't use the fever guideline unless fever is your ONLY symptom. If you also have a cough, diarrhea or other symptom, go to that topic instead of fever. Choosing the appropriate symptom is very important because it leads you to the best information for your illness, condition or injury.
- Each page has navigation tabs to three options:
  - Symptom Description
  - Should I Call?
  - Care at Home
Read the step 1 tab, for Symptom Description: Go to the chosen symptom and read the "Symptom Description" to be sure it's a good fit for what you are experiencing. If not, consider the list of other symptom options provided, with convenient links off to those topics.
Click on the step 2 tab, for "Should I Call?" recommendations: Within each topic there is a "Should I Call?" section that gives you options for what action you should take. Below each option is a list of symptoms and/or reasons for calling or being seen by your doctor. Read through these bulleted items from top to bottom and don't skip any symptoms or other items. The purpose of this content is to help you determine how sick you are and to assist you in choosing an appropriate response.
Follow the Suggested Options: If you have even one of the serious or other Call Your Doctor symptoms, stop reading the list of reasons to call your doctor and take the action suggested in the heading above. If the recommendation is to call your doctor within 24 hours or during weekday office hours, refer to the "Care at Home" recommendations under the step 3 tab, to help you keep comfortable until then.
- See Responses to Illness or Injury for definitions of action options
Click on the step 3 tab, for "Care at Home" recommendations: If you have none of the Call Your Doctor symptoms, follow the "Care at Home" recommendations listed in the final section. But be alert and watch for any worsening or new symptoms. If your condition changes for the worse, calling your doctor again is a good idea.
Reader's Responsibility: Finally, remember that you are in control of this process. If you think or feel you need to be seen, call your doctor for assistance. And if you think you're dealing with a medical emergency, call 911 or your local EMS immediately.
Disclaimer Notice: These guidelines have been carefully written and reviewed. They were last updated August 2003. The author and knowledge-base provider disclaim any responsibility, however, for any harm or damage associated with the use of this information.
Copyright Protection Notice: All rights reserved. No part of this program can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author and publisher. It is prohibited to make or distribute any unauthorized copies of these guidelines for personal or business purposes, to create derivative works, etc.
These guidelines are copyright protected and are not available for any of the following purposes:
- To use as a template or model for writing a commercial product, be it printed or software.
- To use as a reference when writing a commercial product, be it printed or software.
- To use as a resource for updating a commercial product.