We’ve only known of nurse help lines as part of a fancy insurance plan. But did you know that thanks to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, there’s a free non-emergency you can call?
It’s basically an advice and evaluation hotline staffed 24 hours a day, all week. “The Nurse Health Line features bilingual staff and language interpreters who are a valuable source of reliable and caring health information, education, and support,” according to a statement about the hotline. The program is also supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
We figure that if you wake up some night with hot sweats, your stomach bubbling and you know you didn’t have seafood during the day, this might be a good number to call to get sorted.
A notice about the program claims the line can help you evaluate diseases, deal with a sick baby, manage and understand a medical condition, and “avoid sitting for hours in the emergency room”. We really like that last one.
You can call the line anytime– really, like any time they say— at 713-338-7979.
Of course, the line isn’t for emergencies or anything life threatening. Those calls still go to 911.
This article appears in Jun 26 – Jul 2, 2014.
