We provide Clinical Decision Support for

Accurate decision support empowers the public to better understand medical conditions they are concerned about and make informed medical decisions about seeking care.

Providing accurate information to patients is an evidence-based approach that increases patient engagement in their care and improves patient satisfaction.

Giving care providers accurate tools to understand a patient’s condition improves care and decreases healthcare costs.

Partners

We are proud to work with a wide variety of public, private, and academic partners to improve the lives of the populations we serve.

Partners

We are proud to work with a wide variety of public, private, and academic partners to improve the lives of the populations we serve.

Applications

We have several mobile CDS applications under development, with more coming soon! Reach out to partner with us on one.

Contact

We would love to talk with users of our products and potential partners about how to help people make more informed healthcare choices.

Get to know our work

Why we are here

FTHR Group was founded in 2024 as a logical extension of the work we had been doing to lead CDC’s COVID-19 Self Checker forward triage tool and the agency’s telehealth unit during the pandemic. The Self Checker had more than 21 million conversations with users during its two years of operation. Its companion program, CDC’s vSafe post-vaccine checker, has had more than 200 million interactions, all with around four staff. These programs remain some of the most highly visited websites in the CDC’s history and some of the most widely used forward triage/symptom monitoring applications in the U.S. during the pandemic. These applications and similar work signaled a new era of patient- and public-facing clinical decision support (CDS) applications that can now build upon a substantial evidence base of using clinician-focused CDS in healthcare systems.

Where we work

Enhanced public awareness of CDS applications and success in deploying them will continue to catalyze the use of public- and patient-facing CDS applications. These will help users identify (and potentially address) medical issues before or while they seek further care, direct them to the most appropriate care, and reduce unnecessary costs in the fractured and high-friction U.S. healthcare system. In addition, advances in technology will allow first-entry healthcare providers (e.g., emergency service personnel and nursing staff) to use CDS to better assess patients and implement evidence-based approaches earlier in the healthcare process. These interventions will further improve health outcomes, quality of patient care, and overall patient satisfaction. The low use of physician and mid-level provider CDS, as well as variable accuracy of symptom checkers that attempt to diagnose a broad range of conditions, provides opportunities for FTHR Group to develop accurate, condition-specific applications with evidence-based interventions or guidance for the public, patients, healthcare systems, and healthcare payers.

Measuring success

FTHR Group will build on its experience to develop, implement, evaluate, and manage public-, patient-, and first-entry healthcare provider-driven CDS. Our success will be measured by users of institutionally-associated or individual CDS applications that provide accurate information to empower them to make informed healthcare decisions. These tools will increase user satisfaction and reduce costs associated with unnecessary care, improving the health of these populations and saving the precious time of both patients and providers.

FAQs

Common Questions

Navigating the gap between "Home Care" and "Health Care"

Should I go to the ER for chest congestion?
Not always. While chest congestion can be alarming, it is often viral or manageable at home. FTHR Group's tools evaluate the context of your symptoms—like oxygen levels and duration—to distinguish between uncomfortable congestion and dangerous respiratory distress, saving you unnecessary trips to the hospital.
Is my fever high enough for emergency care?
The number on the thermometer is only part of the story. A high fever in a toddler is different than one in a senior. Our "Forward Triage" algorithms consider age, vaccination status, and other vital signs to tell you exactly when a fever requires a doctor and when it can be managed with rest and hydration.
How is this different from Googling my symptoms?
Search engines provide possibilities (often showing you the worst-case scenario). FTHR Group provides probabilities based on clinical evidence. We use the same triage protocols used by healthcare systems to give you a definitive "Next Step," rather than a list of scary diseases.
Can I use FTHR for pediatric questions?
Yes. Pediatric triage requires specific protocols. Our systems are designed to ask age-appropriate questions for children, helping parents differentiate between a common playground virus and a condition that needs urgent pediatric care.
What is "Forward Triage"?
Forward Triage is the process of assessing a patient's condition before they leave their house. Instead of driving to an ER to find out you're okay, our technology acts as a "digital front door," checking your symptoms first and routing you to the right care—whether that's a telehealth call, a pharmacy, or the emergency room.
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Didn't find the answer you were looking for?

We are happy to walk you through our protocols and technology personally.

Get to know our staff

Tony Neri

MD, MPH, FACPM, Lean / Six Sigma Blackbelt, Captain USPHS (Ret.)
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Tony Neri

MD, MPH, FACPM, Lean / Six Sigma Blackbelt, Captain USPHS (Ret.)
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Tony has more than 30 years of experience in medicine and population health. A bachelors degree in microbiology with work in recombinant gene therapeutics led to medical school in Chicago. He then led several high-impact domestic and international public health programs during a 20-year career at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). His career highlights at CDC included being the Director of CDC’s Preventive Medicine Residency and Fellowship, helping to lead CDC’s telehealth and COVID-19 Self Checker programs, and serving as the Chief Data Scientist and Acting Division Director at CDC’s Division of Environmental Health Science and Practice. He maintains board certifications in Public Health and General Preventive Medicine as well as Clinical Informatics.Tony contributes to national efforts as a board member of the ACGME Preventive Medicine Review Committee and as a member of many AMIA workgroups. Since the early 1990’s he has maintained his medical skills by working in both professional and volunteer emergency service organizations. He has been the physician for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ prescribed fire program since 2012. He continues his service as an Eagle Scout by helping to lead the local Cub Scout troop.

Vlad Schorstein

MD, MPH
Director of User Engagement

Vlad Schorstein

MD, MPH
Director of User Engagement

Vlad’s journey to the field of public health began with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Oglethorpe University. That interest in bioscience led to earning an M.D. from Spartan Health Sciences University School of Medicine and ultimately a Master of Public Health from Mercer University.He then became involved in addressing Georgia’s opioid crisis, first as a graduate intern with the Georgia Department of Public Health’s Opioid and Prescription Drug Misuse and Overdose Project, and then as the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Integration Coordinator for the state. This role allowed him to develop and strengthen partnerships with healthcare payers, providers, and patient groups across the state to facilitate clinical workflows and improve patient outcomes.He eventually transitioned to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and managed a portfolio of states participating in the Overdose Data to Action in States program.His career goals center around finding innovative solutions to address a nationwide physician shortage, disparities in healthcare delivery, and gaps between clinical medicine and population health.

Ready to reach out?

Join us to explore how our products and partnerships can lead to more informed healthcare choices for individuals.

Let's get in touch!

We would love to talk with users of our products and potential partners about how to help people make more informed healthcare choices.

Privacy policy

Who we are
Our website address is: https://fthrgroup.comAt Forward Triage Healthcare Resources Group (FTHR Group), we take your privacy seriously. Please read this Privacy Policy to learn how we treat your personal data. By using or accessing our Services in any manner, you acknowledge that you accept the practices and policies outlined below, and you hereby consent that we will collect, use, and disclose your information as described in this Privacy Policy.

Remember that your use of FTHR Group’s Services is at all times subject to our Terms of Use, which incorporates this Privacy Policy. Any terms we use in this Policy without defining them have the definitions given to them in the Terms of Use.

As we continually work to improve our Services, we may need to change this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will alert you of material changes by placing a notice on the FTHR Group website, by sending you an email, and/or by some other means. Please note that if you’ve opted not to receive legal notice emails from us (or you haven’t provided us with your email address), those legal notices will still govern your use of the Services, and you are still responsible for reading and understanding them. If you use the Services after any changes to the Privacy Policy have been posted, that means you agree to all of the changes.

What this Privacy Policy Covers
This Privacy Policy covers how we treat Personal Data that we gather when you access or use our Services. “Personal Data” means any information that identifies or relates to a particular individual and includes information referred to as “personally identifiable information” or “personal information” or “sensitive personal information” under applicable data privacy laws, rules, or regulations. This Privacy Policy does not cover the practices of companies we do not own or control or people we do not manage.

Personal Data
Categories of Personal Data We Collect:
Profile or Contact Data
Examples: First and last name, email, phone number, and unique identifiers
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Identifiers
Examples: Year of birth, zip code, race / ethnicity, gender, and medical conditions
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers

Payment Data
Examples: name, financial account information, payment card type, last 4 digits of payment card, and billing address, phone number, and email
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers (specifically our payment processing partner)

Commercial Data
Examples: Purchase history on apps or platforms owned by FTHR Group
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers

Device/IP Data
Examples: IP address, device ID, domain server, and type of device/operating system/browser used to access the Services
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Analytics Partners

API Usage Data
Examples: API calls and user interface interactions
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Web Analytics
Examples: Web page interactions, referring webpage/source through which you accessed the Services, non-identifiable request IDs, and statistics associated with the interaction between device or browser and the Services
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Social Network Data
Examples: Email, phone number, user name, IP address, and device ID
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Analytics Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Professional or Employment-Related Data
Examples: Job title, research objectives, and employment affiliation
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Geolocation Data
Examples: IP-address-based location information
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Special Categories of Data
Examples: Personal identification numbers, including social security, driver’s license, passport, or state ID card numbers
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Corresponding with You
- Marketing the Services
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Other Identifying Information
Examples: Emails, letters, texts, or other communications you send us
Business or Commercial Purpose(s) for Collection:
- Providing, Customizing, and Improving the Services
- Marketing the Services
- Corresponding with You
Categories of Third Parties With Whom We Disclose this Personal Data:
- Service Providers
- Advertising Partners
- Business Partners
- Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate

Our Commercial or Business Purposes for Collecting Personal Data
Providing, Customizing and Improving the Services
- Creating and managing your account or other user profiles.
- Processing orders or other transactions and billing.
- Providing you with the products, services, or information you request.
- Meeting or fulfilling the reason you provided the information to us.
- Providing support and assistance for the Services.
- Improving the Services, including testing, research, internal analytics, and product development.
- Personalizing the Services, website content, and communications based on your preferences.
- Verifying your identity through our Know Your Customer (“KYC”) procedures.
- Doing fraud protection, security, and debugging.

Marketing the Services
- Marketing and selling the Services.

Corresponding with You
- Responding to correspondence that we receive from you, contacting you when necessary or requested, and sending you information about FTHR Group or the Services.
- Sending emails and other communications according to your preferences.Other Permitted Purposes for Processing Personal Data
In addition, each of the above referenced categories of Personal Data may be collected, used, and disclosed with the government, including law enforcement, or other parties to meet certain legal requirements and enforcing legal terms including: fulfilling our legal obligations under applicable law, regulation, court order or other legal process, such as preventing, detecting and investigating security incidents and potentially illegal or prohibited activities; protecting the rights, property or safety of you, FTHR Group or another party; enforcing any agreements with you; responding to claims that any posting or other content violates third-party rights; and resolving disputes.

We will not collect additional categories of Personal Data or use the Personal Data we collected for materially different, unrelated, or incompatible purposes without providing you notice or obtaining your consent.

Categories of Sources of Personal Data
We collect Personal Data about you from the following categories of sources:

You
When you provide such information directly to us.
- When you create an account or use our interactive tools and Services.
- When you voluntarily provide information in free-form text boxes through the Services or through responses to surveys or questionnaires.
- When you send us an email or otherwise contact us.

When you use the Services and such information is collected automatically.
- Through Cookies (defined in the “Tracking Tools and Opt-Out” section below).
- If you download our mobile applications or use a location-enabled browser, we may receive information about your location and mobile device, as applicable.
- If you download and install certain applications and software we make available, we may receive and collect information transmitted from your computing device for the purpose of providing you the relevant Services, such as information regarding when you are logged on and available to receive updates or alert notices.

Public Records
- From the government or other sources.

Third Parties
Vendors
- We may use analytics providers to analyze how you interact and engage with the Services, or third parties may help us provide you with customer support.
- We may use vendors to obtain information to generate leads and create user profiles.

Advertising Partners
- We receive information about you from some of our vendors who assist us with marketing or promotional services related to how you interact with our websites, applications, products, Services, advertisements, or communications.

Third-Party Credentials
- If you provide your third-party account credentials, such as your social network account credentials, to us or otherwise sign in to the Services through a third-party site or service; some content and/or information in those accounts may be transmitted into your account with us.

How We Disclose Your Personal Data
We disclose your Personal Data to the categories of service providers and other parties listed in this section.

Service Providers These parties help us provide the Services or perform business functions on our behalf. They include:
- Hosting, technology, and communication providers.
- Analytics providers for web traffic or usage of the site.
- Security and fraud prevention consultants.
- Support and customer service vendors.
- Product fulfillment and delivery providers.
- Payment processors.
  - Our payment processing partner collects your voluntarily-provided payment card information necessary to process your payment.
  - Please see our payment partner’s terms of service and privacy policy for information on its use and storage of your Personal Data.

Advertising Partners These parties help us market our services and provide you with other offers that may be of interest to you. They include:
- Ad networks
- Data brokers
- Marketing providers

Analytics Partners These parties provide analytics on web traffic or usage of the Services. They include:
- Companies that track how users found or were referred to the Services
- Companies that track how users interact with the Services

Business Partners These parties partner with us in offering various services. They include:
- Businesses that you have a relationship with
- Companies that we partner with to offer joint promotional offers or opportunities

Parties You Authorize, Access, or Authenticate
- Third parties you access through the services
- Social media services
- Other users

Legal Obligations
We may disclose any Personal Data that we collect with third parties in conjunction with any of the activities set forth under “Other Permitted Purposes for Processing Personal Data” section above.

Business Transfers
All of your Personal Data that we collect may be transferred to a third party if we undergo a merger, acquisition, bankruptcy, or other transaction in which that third party assumes control of our business (in whole or in part).

Data that is Not Personal Data
We may create aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized data from the Personal Data we collect; including by removing information that makes the data personally identifiable to a particular user. We may use such aggregated, de-identified, or anonymized data and disclose it with third parties for our lawful business purposes; including to analyze, build, and improve the Services and promote our business; provided that we will not disclose such data in a manner that could identify you.

Tracking Tools and Opt-Out
The Services use cookies and similar technologies such as pixel tags, web beacons, clear GIFs, JavaScript, and other technologies (collectively, “Cookies”) to enable our servers to recognize your web browser, tell us how and when you visit and use our Services, analyze trends, learn about our user base and operate and improve our Services. Cookies are small pieces of data placed on your computer, tablet, phone, or similar device when you use that device to access our Services. We may also supplement the information we collect from you with information received from third parties, including third parties that have placed their own Cookies on your device(s).

Please note that because of our use of Cookies, the Services do not support “Do Not Track” requests sent from a browser at this time.

We use the following types of Cookies:
Essential Cookies Essential Cookies are required for providing you with features or services that you have requested. For example, certain Cookies enable you to log into secure areas of our Services. Disabling these Cookies may make certain features and services unavailable.

Performance/Analytical Cookies Performance/Analytical Cookies allow us to understand how visitors use our Services. They do this by collecting information about the number of visitors to the Services, what pages visitors view on our Services, and how long visitors are viewing pages on the Services. Performance/Analytical Cookies also help us measure the performance of our advertising campaigns in order to help us improve our campaigns and the Services’ content for those who engage with our advertising. For example, Google LLC (“Google”) uses cookies in connection with its Google Analytics services. Google’s ability to use and disclose information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to the Services is subject to the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy. You have the option to opt-out of Google’s use of Cookies by visiting the Google advertising opt-out page at www.google.com/privacy_ads.html or the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/.

You can decide whether or not to accept Cookies through your internet browser settings. Most browsers have an option for turning off the Cookie feature, which will prevent your browser from accepting new Cookies, as well as (depending on the sophistication of your browser software) allow you to decide on acceptance of each new Cookie in a variety of ways. You can also delete all Cookies that are already on your device. If you do this, however, you may have to manually adjust some preferences every time you visit our website; this may impair or disable some of