title: [The role of poison information center in the health service structures].
abstract: Poison information centres (PIC) provide telephone advice on the treatment of poisonings to the lay public and medical professionals. The number of inquiries increases every year. Poison Information Centre of Collegium Medicum of Jagiellonian University in Krakow provided 1611 items of advice in 1999 and 2263--five years later--in 2004. Each incoming call is recorded and documented by standardized protocol. Another aspect of PIC activity of is prevention and education. Inquiries protocols' analysis shows the most frequent reasons and circumstances of poisonings. Thus, it is possible to conduct appropriate prophylactic campaigns. The above aspects of activity of PIC do not bring direct financial benefit. There is one index which shows that PIC saves the money. There were 335 cases in 2004 (above 50% consulted lay public) when unnecessary hospital admissions were prevent. It should be noted that the others were refer to proper specialist. This aspect of PIC's activity significantly decreases the costs which should be paid in any medical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Katedra Toksykologii Klinicznej i Srodowiskowej, Collegium Medicum, Uniwersytetu Jagiellońiskiego, Krakowie. oit@cm-uj.krakow.pl
authors.forename: Dorota
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Targosz
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Szkolnicka
authors.forename: Małgorzata
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mitrus
authors.forename: Jowanka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morawska
authors.forename: Leszek
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Satora
mesh_terms: D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D011039:Poison Control Centers / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011041:Poisoning / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012041:Regional Medical Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*