“Illnesses and injuries often show up when it’s least expected. Expanding the hours of Ask-A-Nurse gives our community easy and convenient access to a Munson Healthcare registered nurse,” said Bonnie Kruszka, DNP, ENP-BC, FNP-C, RN, Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer for Ambulatory Services. “Oftentimes people don’t know where to go for care, our expert nurses will be available to help determine the best place to seek care – whether that’s emergency care, urgent care, virtual care or primary care – day or night.”
The health system began the service in March 2020 at the start of the pandemic as a way to provide the most relevant and latest information about COVID-19 to residents and visitors to the region. The hotline has proven to be a vital healthcare resource to Munson communities, and now the health system is expanding it as part of its announced Regional Care Transformation plan to provide patients with more and better access to care through new front doors. Since the launch, hotline nurses have taken more than 100,000 calls.
The Ask-A-Nurse program is staffed by registered nurses that provide self-care guidance; assess caller symptoms and conditions; help callers determine where to go for care or find a primary care provider, and more.
The service is free, and no insurance is required. To access the service, residents or visitors may call the Ask-A-Nurse line at 231-935-0951 or submit an online question at munsonhealthcare.org/askanurse.