Wax Paul M, Kolian Tracy M, Pizon Anthony F
American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), Phoenix, AZ, USA.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
J Med Toxicol. 2025 Jun 19. doi: 10.1007/s13181-025-01082-9.
Poisoning is a major public health issue and one of the leading causes of injury related death in the US. Poisonings result from intentional or unintentional use of prescription drugs or illicit overdose including opioids, inhalation of toxic fumes, ingestion of contaminated food or drinking water, and envenomations. The cost of poisonings to US health care is large, especially when considering the costs of addiction and illicit opioids. As specially trained physicians, medical toxicologists play a major role in the treatment and care of poisoned patients while improving patient care, population health, and health care systems related to chemical exposures and poisonings including prevention. They also play a major role in the opioid epidemic and in caring for patients with opioid use disorder and substance use disorders more broadly. Regardless of these important roles, the recognition and knowledge of the value that medical toxicologists provide to health and the health care system is limited. As reimbursement becomes linked to outcome in a value-based care (VBC) market, medical toxicologists must continue to demonstrate their value to stakeholders. The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) has long recognized the need for medical toxicologists to articulate their value and to advocate for themselves, the profession, and for the patients they serve. To that end, modeling infectious disease (ID) efforts in establishing value for their specialty, this paper outlines the 'value' of medical toxicologists in improving patient outcomes, and their positive impact on population health and health care systems.
中毒是一个重大的公共卫生问题，也是美国与伤害相关死亡的主要原因之一。中毒是由故意或无意使用处方药、包括阿片类药物在内的非法过量用药、吸入有毒烟雾、摄入受污染的食物或饮用水以及被蛇虫叮咬等引起的。中毒给美国医疗保健带来的成本巨大，尤其是考虑到成瘾和非法阿片类药物的成本时。作为经过专门培训的医生，医学毒理学家在中毒患者的治疗和护理中发挥着重要作用，同时改善与化学暴露和中毒（包括预防）相关的患者护理、人群健康和医疗保健系统。他们在阿片类药物流行以及更广泛地照顾阿片类药物使用障碍和物质使用障碍患者方面也发挥着重要作用。尽管有这些重要作用，但医学毒理学家对健康和医疗保健系统所提供价值的认识和了解仍然有限。随着报销与基于价值的医疗（VBC）市场中的结果挂钩，医学毒理学家必须继续向利益相关者证明他们的价值。美国医学毒理学学院（ACMT）长期以来一直认识到医学毒理学家需要阐明他们的价值，并为自己、该专业以及他们所服务的患者进行倡导。为此，本文效仿传染病（ID）领域为其专业确立价值的努力，概述了医学毒理学家在改善患者预后方面的“价值”，以及他们对人群健康和医疗保健系统的积极影响。
