title: Impact of case exposures on physician behavior responses in childhood poisoning: quality and cost implications.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  When measuring physicians' competencies, there is no consensus as to what would constitute an optimum exposure in unintentional pediatric poisoning. In the absence of universal protocols and poison centers' support, the behavior responses of the physicians can vary depending on their exposure to cases. We sought to determine if there was a correlation between the case exposure and physicians' behavior choices that could affect quality and cost of care.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010, and a self-reporting survey questionnaire was given to the physicians in the pediatric emergency departments and primary care centers in the city of Al Ain. The physicians' responses were plotted against (a) the number of cases the physicians have had managed in the preceding 12 months and (b) the number of years the physicians have had been in practice
  
  
  RESULTS
  One hundred seven physicians partook in the survey. We found that the physicians who had managed more than 2 cases of childhood poisoning in the preceding year chose significantly more positive behavior responses when compared with those who had managed 2 cases or less. There was no significant difference when the responses were measured against the physicians' number of years of practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians' practice effectiveness may improve if they manage at least 3 cases of childhood poisoning in a year. Physicians training modules could be developed for those physicians who do not get the optimum exposure necessary in improving physicians' behaviors associated with effective quality and cost efficiency.
authors.affiliation: From the Departments of *Pediatrics, College of Medicine; †Gynecology and Obstetrics, College of Medicine; ‡Family Medicine, College of Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; §Child Health Institute, Al Ain Hospital Affiliate of Vienna Medical University, Vienna, Austria; and ∥Department of Emergency Medicine, Tawam Affiliate of Johns Hopkins International Hospitals, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Sulaiman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bharwani
authors.forename: Hina
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Raheel
authors.forename: Mehreen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rahim
authors.forename: Qudsia
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Shaukat
authors.forename: Sania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Al Hamad
authors.forename: Hasiat
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002648:Child; D002662:Child Health Services / Q000191:economics; D002755:Choice Behavior; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000191:economics; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000191:economics; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D059032:Learning Curve; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents; D010343:Patient Admission; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000191:economics; D011041:Poisoning / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000628:therapy; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000191:economics; D011368:Professional-Family Relations; D063127:Secondary Health Care / Q000191:economics; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D063128:Tertiary Health Care / Q000191:economics; D013997:Time Factors; D014479:United Arab Emirates