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Published on: November 9, 2016
Washington Poison Center as perceived by our state's emergency physicians
William O Robertson1, Angela Caffrey
1Washington Poison Center, Seattle, WA 98125, USA. mryuk@wapc.org
Summary
Washington emergency physicians consistently rate the Washington Poison Center (WPC) highly. Their feedback indicates the WPC is a valuable resource, with increasing support for its governmental funding.
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Emergency Medicine
- Public Health
Background:
- The Washington Poison Center (WPC) performance has been surveyed periodically since 1986.
- Previous surveys were conducted in 1993, 1997, and 2005.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess current emergency physician perceptions of the Washington Poison Center (WPC).
- To track changes in physician satisfaction and utilization of WPC services over time.
Main Methods:
- A modified 2-page survey was distributed to Washington emergency physicians.
- Responses were collected, tallied, and compared with data from previous surveys.
Main Results:
- 221 surveys were returned from 612 distributed in 2005.
- Physicians reported calling the WPC an average of 19 times annually.
- Over 80% of calls positively impacted patient management, with high value placed on "STAT" consultations with medical toxicologists.
Conclusions:
- Emergency physicians in Washington continue to highly value WPC services.
- There is growing support among physicians for governmental funding of the WPC.
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