Krenzelok Edward P, Mrvos Rita
Pittsburgh Poison Center, 3705 Fifth Avenue, Childrens Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
Vet Hum Toxicol. 2003 Dec;45(6):325-7.
Prior to the implementation of the nationwide toll-free telephone number, most poison centers already provided toll-free service; therefore, the impact of toll-free access to a poison center on call volume is difficult to assess in the majority of poison centers. This analysis examined the effect that the new nationwide toll-free telephone number had on total call volume (exposures and information calls) in a poison center without previous toll-free access and serving a large urban and rural population. All calls received by a Regional Poison Information Center (RPIC) over a consecutive 27-mo period (2000, 2001, Jan-Jun 2002) were analyzed. April 2001 was the first full month of toll-free service. Data from January-March and January-June for 2000, 2001 and 2002 served as 3 and 6-mo benchmark and study periods. The 3 and 6-mo periods for each of the 3 years were used to conduct comparative trend analysis. Over 1.1 million pieces of literature and sheets of stickers that contained the toll-free number were distributed throughout the region over the study period. Use of the toll-free number increased from 590 calls in July 2001 to 2,157 in June 2002. Total call volume increased by 11.2%. Trend analysis revealed a 9.9% increase in exposure volume when comparing 2001 and 2002 data. There was a significant increase in utilization of the toll-free number for information purposes from people residing in rural counties. Toll-free access to the RPIC increased the volume of information calls dramatically. Initial trend analysis indicated that the availability of toll-free access has reversed the erosion of exposure-related calls.
在全国性免费电话号码实施之前，大多数毒物控制中心就已提供免费服务；因此，对于大多数毒物控制中心而言，免费拨打毒物控制中心电话对呼叫量的影响难以评估。本分析研究了新的全国性免费电话号码对一个此前未提供免费服务且服务于广大城乡人口的毒物控制中心的总呼叫量（暴露情况咨询和信息咨询电话）的影响。分析了一个区域毒物信息中心（RPIC）在连续27个月期间（2000年、2001年、2002年1月至6月）接听的所有电话。2001年4月是免费服务的第一个完整月。2000年、2001年和2002年1月至3月以及1月至6月的数据分别作为3个月和6个月的基准期和研究期。利用这三年中每年的3个月和6个月时间段进行比较趋势分析。在研究期间，超过110万份包含免费电话号码的文献和贴纸在该地区分发。免费电话号码的使用量从2001年7月的590次呼叫增加到2002年6月的2157次。总呼叫量增加了11.2%。趋势分析显示，比较2001年和2002年的数据时，暴露情况咨询量增加了9.9%。居住在农村县的人们出于信息目的使用免费电话号码的情况显著增加。免费拨打RPIC的电话极大地增加了信息咨询电话的数量。初步趋势分析表明，免费拨打服务的可用性扭转了与暴露相关电话数量的减少。
