Minnesota's statewide flu hot line debuted on Wednesday, and within minutes the Health Department seemed to have a hit on its hands.

About 30 calls had been logged within the first 10 minutes, and phone traffic was heavy all afternoon, according to department spokesman Buddy Ferguson.

The toll-free Minnesota FluLine - 1-866-259-4655 - was created to get quick advice to anxious residents and take pressure off busy clinics and hospitals as the state faces twin outbreaks of H1N1 flu and seasonal flu.

A high call volume early Wednesday evening may have been the reason many callers got a busy signal. "I think our advice would be to be patient and keep trying, or call your own health provider," said Ferguson. "The FluLine is not meant to replace the health-care system. It's designed to be a supplement."

The idea has been tried in other states, but Health Commissioner Sanne Magnan said Wednesday that Minnesota's phone line is the first statewide network to be launched.

The hot line, which opens with a recorded message giving basic flu information, will triage people needing health advice and, in some cases, prescribe medicine over the phone. That, too, is a first nationwide, Magnan said. The phone network, with 50 lines staffed by nurses, will operate around the clock.

People who call the line will be asked several questions about their health and will either be transferred to their insurance provider's network or given recommendations for treating themselves. If they have severe symptoms or are at particularly high risk, nurses will be able to write prescriptions for antiviral medications, which will be faxed to a pharmacist. Magnan said the nurses can prescribe the drugs under a standing order from a doctor, an arrangement that's legal in response to a pandemic.

Star Tribune staff writer Sarah Lemagie contributed to this report.

Bob von Sternberg • 612-673-7184