Poison center operations: the necessity of follow-up.

A retrospective study of 2,526 calls made to a regional poison center demonstrated the value of telephone follow-up of poison exposures. Further treatment recommendations were required in 21.2% of follow-up calls, more than 25% of which were made to physicians. Poison prevention education and data collection were accomplished in more than 95% of cases. Twenty-four telephone follow-up calls corrected major treatment errors, corresponding to a dramatic change in patient management more than twice each week. This study delineates the functions and value of the follow-up call in the treatment and prevention of poisonings and in toxicologic research. Because the effective use of this procedure is limited to comprehensive poison centers with vast resources and full-time staff, this study further supports regionalization to promote maximal utilization of this and other elements of poison control.