PORT ST. LUCIE, Florida/September 9, 2009 - There are dire new predictions from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology that as many as 90,000 Americans, many of them children, may die from swine flu this flu season. The report comes as Physicians Immediate Care is announcing it will take part in a "sentinel" program with the Saint Lucie County Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control. Under the sentinel program, Physicians Immediate Care will monitor for outbreaks of influenza like illnesses (ILI) in Treasure Coast residents and visitor this flu season.

"Our walk-in clinics will be on the front line of the upcoming flu season," said Kenneth Palestrant, MD, founder of Physicians Immediate Care. "We have volunteered to become sentinels, or monitoring points, for the Health Department and CDC so health officials will be better prepared to stay ahead of any significant, and potentially deadly, outbreak of swine flu here on the Treasure Coast," added Dr. Palestrant.

If there is a noticeable spike in influenza like illnesses, the information will be reported to the Saint Lucie County Health Department and ultimately the CDC so local and regional health care and emergency workers will be able to take proper steps to safeguard the health and wellness of area residents and visitors alike. "Obviously, in the wake of the report that up to nearly two million people could be hospitalized with swine flu, we are taking the monitoring for symptoms very seriously. We are prepared to do whatever is necessary to help our public officials through this pandemic outbreak," concluded Dr. Palestrant.

Physicians Immediate Care measures its success through patient satisfaction and extraordinary care. Physicians Immediate Care also offers employers professional services for workers compensation, routine exams, and drug testing. Physicians Immediate Care provides a convenient, cost effective alternative to emergency rooms and doctor's offices from their eastern office at 1900 SE Port Saint Lucie Boulevard, southwestern office at 4007 SW Port Saint Lucie Boulevard in the Paar Center, and now open at 5550 South US One, Fort Pierce. For additional information call the Fort Pierce office at 772-460-9227 or Port Saint Lucie at 772-398-1588 or 772-343-1774. You may also visit their website at www.immedcare.com.

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