Poison suspected? Call North Texas Poison Center right away
NTPC at Parkland provides medical advice in real time, round the clock
When a poison specialist answers the phone at the North Texas Poison Center (NTPC) located at Parkland Health & Hospital System, they never know what the caller’s question may be. Every day, 24 hours a day, toxicology experts are available via the center’s toll-free line to calm frightened parents, collaborate with medical professionals, educate students or just satisfy someone’s curiosity about an unusual plant or insect.
“We get frantic calls from moms and dads whose toddler has just swallowed a handful of pills they thought was candy. We help first responders treating kids with drug overdoses or alcohol poisoning. We provide clinical advice to healthcare professionals. Students, homeowners and campers ask us about poisonous plants, reptiles and bugs. Whatever the reason for the call, we’re here to help,” said Melody Gardner, RN, MSN, MHA, NTPC managing director.
During National Poison Prevention Week, March 18-24, Gardner and other specialists at the NTPC at Parkland want to raise awareness and reduce the incidence of unintentional poisonings, whether from accidental overdoses of acetaminophen, intentional use of dangerous opioids, and all other exposures to potentially toxic substances. In 2017, staff with the NTPC took 70,392 calls and assessed, triaged and monitored 55,449 poisoned patients of whom 63.18 percent were monitored at home. Total call volume currently exceeds 6,000 calls per month on a regular basis, Gardner said.
The NTPC’s specially trained staff of 15 registered nurses, pharmacists and doctors are uniquely qualified to provide poison information and treatment assistance 24 hours a day to almost 8.7 million individuals in the center’s designated 42-county region by dialing 1-800-222-1222.
The NTPC has been dedicated to providing the residents of Texas with accountable, concise, up-to-date, quality poison information and poison prevention programs since November 1984. The center is certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).
In 1993, the Texas Legislature established the Texas Poison Center Network (TPCN). Legislation mandated that a network of six regional poison centers be established to provide emergency treatment information to the citizens of Texas for poisonings or toxic exposures. Each Poison Center would be designated a primary region; however calls can be rerouted to another center during periods of high volume, educational activities or in the event of a disaster.
The NTPC is designated the primary center for the northeast Texas region, one of the largest in the state. Federal dollars cover 20 percent of the NTPC costs; the other 80 percent comes from the state. The NTPC estimates that in 2017 its services saved more than $9.5 million in healthcare costs.
Among other programs provided by the NTPC is the Fellowship in Toxicology and the Toxicology Teaching Rotation of UT Southwestern Medical Center. There are only 30 fellowship programs for medical toxicology in the nation and 29 of those are affiliated with a Poison Center. The NTPC toxicology teaching service has the only active fellowship in Texas and is one of the only places for medical students, residents, pharmacists and fellows to obtain toxicology training.
The Texas Poison Center Network also plays an important role in disaster and terrorism response. A Poison Center is often the initial contact by the public and others in disasters, food poisonings or other mass events. The Texas Poison Centers were the first to receive calls on the Columbia space shuttle disaster in 2004. Texas Poison Centers provided surveillance and public information during the BP oil spill, West Nile Vector Control, Hurricanes Ike, Katrina and Harvey, Corpus Christi water contamination event, various chemical plant explosions around the state and other emergencies.
Education is a key focus of the center. In 2017, NTPC staff presented 1,370 community education programs and distributed approximately 594,755 educational materials across 42 counties in the northeast Texas region.
“Educating people about potential hazards is the best way to prevent accidental poisonings. If someone is exposed to a toxic substance, the Poison Center is here to answer questions 24/7. But our primary goal is to prevent poison emergencies,” said Cristina Thomas, NTPC public health education manager.
“We help people decide whether the exposure is serious and advise them if they need to seek immediate emergency care or if it’s something they can handle at home. If you have any poison-related question, call the North Texas Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222 right away. Do not try to treat the person yourself,” Gardner said.
Visit www.poisoncontrol.org for general poison-related information about all kinds of toxin-related topics including poisonous plants and venomous critters. You can also contact NTPC to schedule an educator to participate in an educational program or order materials. For more information about Parkland, please visit www.parklandhospital.com
Back