Calling the BRPC

When calling the BRPC for toxicologic information, the staff will request certain details about the exposure, which are entered into a confidential national database for tracking of poisons.  Whenever possible, please prepare to provide:
patient name, age and weight
name of substance(s) involved
symptoms present
therapy already initiated
lab results if available
time of/since exposure
estimated amount involved
type/route of exposure
prior medical history, allergies
current medications

Some of these details may be unavailable at the time of the initial call. In the absence of precise information, the BRPC can offer general management recommendations. The poison specialist will provide followup calls to update recommendations should circumstances change or more information become available.

Epidemiologic data collection is another important role of the BRPC. You can support vital injury data collection by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC) along with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) by contacting the BRPC whenever caring for patients accidentally or intentionally exposed to potential toxins. The BRPC staff makes follow-up calls to record the patient's condition and documentation is complete only when the patient is considered medically stable and unlikely to experience any further effects from the exposure.

This data is forwarded to the American Association of Poison Control Centers for inclusion in their annual statistical profile of the national incidence and outcome of poisonings, which is published in the September issue of the American Journal of Emergency Medicine. Poison center data collection represents one of the oldest and most detailed injury surveillance systems in the world. All information is confidential.