Services
The Virginia Poison Center is an emergency telephone resource of poisoning information available to the public and health care professionals. The Center's service region includes central and eastern Virginia as designated in the Virginia Poison Control Network, established in 1997 by the state's Department of Health. This service area contains a population of approximately 2.4 million people (provisional 2003 census) and 42 acute care hospitals. Services are provided to all patients including infants, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly.
Emergency phone lines are staffed by specially trained registered nurses (Specialists in Poison Information), who are knowledgeable about toxic substances and treatment for victims exposed to potential poisons. This expert assistance is available 24 hours daily, is free of charge to all callers, and all patient information is confidential. Follow-up calls are made by the center's nurses in many cases in order to assess the outcome of any treatments and monitor for development of delayed toxic effects.
In 2004, the Virginia Poison Center responded to over 36,000 calls for assistance. Approximately 75% of calls concern an exposure (or possible exposure) to a drug or chemical, and 25% are considered information calls (no actual exposure has occurred). Examples of information calls include drug identification and information, inquiries on the potential hazards of drugs and  chemicals, workplace safety, and poison prevention education.
Most poison exposures are accidental, and approximately 50% involve young children. Because of the expertise and resources of the Center, over 75% of our patients are treated over the phone at the site of the exposure, thereby preventing unnecessary costs associated with ambulance dispatch, emergency room visits and hospitalization. For serious poisonings, patients are referred to the nearest appropriate health care facility, and recommendations for the most cost-effective care are provided to the treating physician(s). Board-certified toxicologists are available 24 hours/day for consultation with physicians.
Approximately 80-85% of calls to the Center originate from the public, and 15-20% from a healthcare provider, such as emergency room nurse or physician, paramedic, physician office, pharmacist or dentist, or a nurse working in a school, correctional facility or industrial setting.
All calls are triaged by specialists in poison information (SPI), who are all registered nurses. Specialists take a detailed history of the exposure, which includes the following information:
• identification of product and ingredients
• route(s) of exposure
• amount or dose
• time of/since exposure
• brief medical history of patient
• presence or absence of symptoms
• determination if any treatment attempted
• caller and patient information
Once the nature of the exposure is determined, the specialist makes an assessment of severity, provides first aid advice if needed, and recommends an appropriate disposition. Approximately 78% of human exposure cases can be successfully managed at home, or at the site of the exposure. If treatment in a health care facility is needed, the poison specialist (with the patient or caller) determines the most appropriate mode of transportation and destination.
Patients are monitored via telephone follow-up calls until the effects of the poisoning exposure are gone or substantially subsided. The most ill patients may be followed 3-4 times a day, while those in a recovery phase may be followed every 2-3 days. Follow-up calls are intended to obtain up-to-date clinical information, assess the efficacy of treatment advice, and provide additional recommendations as indicated.
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Provide 24-hour emergency advice and information by telephone to the public. Assessment and treatment advice is provided for both unintentional and intentional exposures, and chronic as well as acute exposures.
Serve as a 24-hour resource for physicians, emergency medical personnel and other health care professionals by providing the most current information on assessment and treatment of toxic exposures.
Clinical toxicologists provide direct patient care through telephone and bedside consultations.
Train healthcare professionals in clinical toxicology , the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic poisoning.
Prevent unintentional poisonings through public education by developing and promoting poison prevention materials and programs, and by collaboration with other injury prevention groups.
Collect and analyse data to identify poison hazards and emerging trends.
Improve domestic preparedness through active participation in the Richmond Metropolitan Medical Response System (MMRS) and other public safety venues.
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