DISQUS

Yes to all of the above reasons and to add to them: employers' expectations that workers come to work when ill (presenteeism), parents' inability to take time away from work to bring children in for office visits, delay in getting office/clinic appointments, decreased availability of school nurses to see children with acute symptoms, attempts for primary providers to see as many patients as can be crammed into the clinic/office schedule, little risk of acute harm for extant practice.

Does anyone still use the self-assessment diagnostic tool to distinguish viral from bacterial caused URIs?

Yeppers.

By coincidence, I just blogged about some "typical" day past or present in a level I trauma center ED. May bring laughs, groans or help with constipation - you be the judge!