PITTSBURGH — Consultation with a nurse is just a phone call away for free and regardless of insurance coverage as a result of a new Allegheny Health Network service.

AHN announced Thursday that anyone with a phone can call 412-NURSE4U, talk with a registered nurse and ask questions about any health condition or share any concerns, according to an AHN news release.

People can call around the clock, regardless of which insurance coverage they have or if they don't have insurance.

“We understand that sometimes patients need help sorting through symptoms they may be experiencing and in simply determining the best course of action,” said Kenyokee Crowell, senior vice president of clinical access at AHN. “At every step of the care journey, we believe that patients should never have to go it alone.”

Nurses help callers determine the appropriate next steps based on their description of symptoms and, if necessary, can help schedule appointments with AHN clinicians.

If directed to an AHN emergency department, the nurse will register the patient for a more seamless check-in process for when the patient arrives. The nurse also will talk to emergency medical services if needed.

The service is an offshoot of the year-old AHN Cancer Help Line, through which nurses advise callers on a variety of oncology-related issues.

In 2017, AHN became the first health care provider in the region and among the first nationally to offer same-day appointments for primary and specialty care providers to improve the timeliness of health care delivery.

A real-time video chat program also began last year in which AHN nurse practitioners can chat remotely yet face-to-face with patients.

“We are so pleased to offer the community this service, which connects patients with compassionate nurses who will help them to obtain the right level of care at the right time,” said Janet Constantin, RN, clinical director, AHN Care Connect.

The new nurse line has been operating for a few weeks and has drawn a wide variety of health care questions, said Candace Herrington, AHN spokesman.