Drug & Poison Information Center Celebrates 50 Years of Keeping Community Safe
Drug & Poison Information Center Celebrates 50 Years of Keeping Community Safe
In times of uncertainty, our first instinct is to call and seek help quickly. For 50 years, Cincinnati Children’s Drug & Poison Information Center (DPIC) has been answering that call—providing free medical advice and information through its 24/7 hotline.
DPIC’s mission is simple, but effective and lasting: to improve health outcomes and reduce harm tied to preventable injuries and illnesses among the patients, families and communities served.
Originally founded in 1966 as a drug information service for physicians through the UC College of Medicine, just six years later in 1972, the public poison control hotline services were launched. Since then, DPIC has had a positive impact on millions of patients and families.
Today, DPIC serves half of Ohio’s population—roughly 5.8 million people in 25 counties. This service would not be possible without the extensive network of medical professionals running the show behind the scenes.
Physicians, pharmacists, nurses and allied health specialists (EMTs) with specialized training in toxicology, pharmacology, medical triage and risk communication band together to answer thousands of calls each year. Bilingual staff and interpreter services are also available, making this service accessible to anyone who needs help.
In addition to the 24/7 hotline, the DPIC’s mission embraces ongoing education and training for students and medical professionals within a variety of fields and disciplines. The teams routinely participate in community events and other forums to engage the public in preventing poisoning exposures.
The Bigger Picture
Just 55 regional poison control centers serve the entire U.S. population at no direct cost to the caller, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This easily accessible service is simple to use, and Cincinnati Children’s DPIC was among the first centers in the nation to be accredited by the American Association of Poison Control Centers. DPIC has maintained this certification without interruption since 1981.
On average in Ohio, a poisoning exposure is reported every five minutes. With each unique situation, DPIC specialists are able to assess the needs of the patient and empower callers to make well-informed decisions in response to any risks that are identified.
“One of our primary roles is to de-escalate situations and to take care of people outside of the emergency department. Then, our goal is to educate the public on how to prevent poisonings from happening in the future,” said Jon Colvin, managing director, DPIC.
Each year, over 1,000 unnecessary ambulance runs are averted when DPIC is consulted. The vast majority (80 percent) of exposures are managed outside of the healthcare setting. When medical attention is needed, medical providers who consult DPIC are often able to reduce hospital length of stay by 1-3 days.
All poison control centers collect information in a standardized format that is uploaded to the National Poison Data System in real-time. This dataset is hosted in partnership with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and enables poison centers to play a vital role in public health surveillance and ongoing medical research.
If you are ever in a situation where you suspect a poisoning or just need more information, don’t hesitate. Call the 24/7 national toll-free hotline at (1-800-222-1222).
Want to learn more about DPIC and their mission? Visit the DPIC homepage on CenterLink for the latest information.