Benefits of Mobile Fever Care
When visiting a patient with a fever, mobile care fever providers review symptoms, check medical history, identify potential risk factors, determine the cause of the fever, and develop a treatment plan. If additional evaluation or testing is required, mobile fever care providers coordinate with partner team members or labs to collect and process blood work, urine samples, or swabs used to detect respiratory infections.
A fever can lead to further health complications for vulnerable populations. The following types of patients benefit the most from mobile fever care:
- Seniors in private living homes, nursing homes, or assisted living facilities
- Patients with weakened immune systems or chronic illnesses
- Patients recovering from surgery, recently hospitalized patients, those who are confined to bed, or those with limited mobility
- Residents in group living environments where illness can spread quickly
What Defines a Fever?
A fever is when your body temperature naturally increases to higher than normal. A fever on its own is not an illness. Instead, it is symptomatic of a wide range of health conditions. When your body temperature rises a few degrees above normal, it can be a sign that your immune system has been activated to fight an infection.
The hypothalamus, an area of your brain that can be thought of as your body’s thermostat, monitors body temperature so you have a balance of heat production and heat loss. Even if you are generally healthy, your body temperature varies slightly throughout the day, where oftentimes in the morning it is lower, compared to later afternoon and evening when it is likely to be higher. When your immune system responds to disease, the hypothalamus can set your body temperature higher, initiating complex processes that produce more heat and restrict heat loss.
Normal body temperature is generally considered to be 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees Celsius). But depending on the person, your individual baseline body temperature can vary by a degree or more. Body temperature also fluctuates for other reasons. It is higher when you are exercising, or for women, higher during certain times in the menstrual cycle. Infants, toddlers, and young children normally have slightly higher body temperatures than older children and adults.
Why Mobile Fever Care is Important
For most people, a mild fever can be managed at home with over-the-counter medications and rest. But for at-risk patients, even a moderate fever can cause health issues or indicate serious underlying conditions such as pneumonia, urinary tract infection, cellulitis (a bacterial infection affecting deeper layers of the skin and underlying tissue), strep throat, and COVID-19.
Services offered by mobile fever care providers are designed to help patients manage fevers and other underlying conditions related to a fever. Mobile fever care providers collaborate with partner staff at hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and other healthcare facilities by promptly evaluating fevers and managing infections before they spread.
Additionally, because of the importance of working with primary healthcare providers, mobile fever care providers also share notes with doctors and other providers to keep all parties updated on patient treatment and progress. Treatment can include medication management, hydration support, wound care (if needed), and vital signs monitoring.
After beginning treatment, mobile fever care typically includes check-in visits, ongoing care, education resources for patients and family caregivers on signs and symptoms to monitor, and aftercare instructions.