• In 2005, our Poison Centre managed a total of 90,209 calls. Poison Specialists and Medical Consultants responded to 46,047 actual poison exposures and 6,139 poison information calls. In addition, the Poison Centre staff placed 38,023 follow up calls to health care facilities to ensure our patients, to the best of our ability, received the most current and evidence-based care possible.
• With expert advice from our Poison Specialists, 62% of all poisonings were managed at the site of the poisoning, thus preventing unnecessary emergency visits. The vast majority (95%) of these incidents occurred in the patient's own home.
• The Poison Centre responds to many requests for consultation from Health Care Professionals from across the province regarding the management the poisoned patient. These requests for consultation from professionals at health care facilities accounted for 27% of all calls received by the Poison Centre in 2005.
• Poison Specialists referred a small percentage (10%) of poisoned patients to a Health Care Facility for medical management and/or observation.
• Although childhood poisonings are preventable, 43% of all poisoning cases reported to the Poison Centre involved children less than 6 years of age.
• A further 5% of all poisonings occurred in children 6 to 12 years, and 9% of all poisonings occurred in adolescents and young adults from 13 to 19 years. Therefore, 57% of all poison exposures occurred in children and young adults.
