The Effect of Poison Control Center Consultation on Accidental Poisoning Inpatient Hospitalizations with Preexisting Medical Conditions

In 2005, the Kentucky Poison Control Center (PCC) recorded 46,625 poisoning calls; 27% received hospital treatment. Probabilistic data linkage of accidental poisoning inpatient hospital (IPH) discharge data and PCC data (years 2000-2004) was performed. This study compared IPH with/without preexistin...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A Part A, 2008-01, Vol.71 (4), p.283-288
Main Authors: Bunn, Terry L., Slavova, Svetla, Spiller, Henry A., Colvin, Jonathan, Bathke, Arne, Nicholson, Valerie J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data
Humans
Kentucky
Length of Stay - statistics & numerical data
Male
Middle Aged
Poison Control Centers - utilization
Poisoning
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Summary:In 2005, the Kentucky Poison Control Center (PCC) recorded 46,625 poisoning calls; 27% received hospital treatment. Probabilistic data linkage of accidental poisoning inpatient hospital (IPH) discharge data and PCC data (years 2000-2004) was performed. This study compared IPH with/without preexisting medical conditions and IPH with/without PCC consultation, examining total length of stay and total hospitalization charges. When compared to the IPH reference group with no preexisting medical conditions and who did not consult the PCC (mean charges = $8748, mean length of stay = 3.2 d), PCC consultation without a preexisting medical condition was significantly associated with decreased total hospitalization charges and decreased length of stay (mean charges = $4999, mean length of stay = 1.9 d). When the patient had a preexisting medical condition, PCC consultation was still associated with decreased total hospitalization charges and length of stay (mean charges = $8145, mean length of stay = 2.4 d) compared to those patients with a preexisting medical condition who did not consult the PCC (mean charges = $10,607, mean length of stay = 3.6 d). These results suggest that after accounting for a patient's age and gender, consultation with the PCC is significantly associated with reduced total hospitalization charges and reduced length of stay for IPH, and this association holds for patients with and without a preexisting medical condition.
ISSN:1528-7394
1087-2620
DOI:10.1080/15287390701738459