Anne-Marie K Descamps1,2,3, Peter De Paepe4, Walter A Buylaert4, Martine A Mostin5, Dominique M Vandijck6,7. 1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. annemarie.descamps@ugent.be. 2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium. annemarie.descamps@ugent.be. 3. Antigifcentrum/Centre Antipoisons, Bruynstraat 1, 1120, Brussels, Belgium. annemarie.descamps@ugent.be. 4. Department of Emergency Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. 5. Antigifcentrum/Centre Antipoisons, Bruynstraat 1, 1120, Brussels, Belgium. 6. Department of Public Health and Health Economics, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. 7. Department of Patient Safety and Health Economics, Faculty of Medicine and Life Sciences, Hasselt University, Diepenbeek, Belgium.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the impact of the Belgian Poison Centre (BPC) on national healthcare expenses for calls from the public for unintentional poisonings. METHODS: The probability of either calling the BPC, consulting a general practitioner (GP) or consulting an emergency department (ED) was examined in a telephone survey (February-March 2016). Callers were asked what they would have done in case of unavailability of the BPC. The proportion and cost for ED-ambulatory care, ED 24-h observation or hospitalisation were calculated from individual invoices. A cost-benefit analysis was performed. RESULTS: Unintentional cases (n = 485) from 1045 calls to the BPC were included. After having called the BPC, 92.1% did not seek further medical help, 4.2% consulted a GP and 3.7% went to an ED. In the absence of the BPC, 13.8% would not have sought any further help, 49.3% would have consulted a GP and 36.9% would have gone to the hospital. The cost-benefit ratio of the availability of the BPC as versus its absence was estimated at 5.70. CONCLUSIONS: Financial savings can be made if people first call the BPC for unintentional poisonings.
OBJECTIVES: This study evaluates the impact of the Belgian Poison Centre (BPC) on national healthcare expenses for calls from the public for unintentional poisonings. METHODS: The probability of either calling the BPC, consulting a general practitioner (GP) or consulting an emergency department (ED) was examined in a telephone survey (February-March 2016). Callers were asked what they would have done in case of unavailability of the BPC. The proportion and cost for ED-ambulatory care, ED 24-h observation or hospitalisation were calculated from individual invoices. A cost-benefit analysis was performed. RESULTS: Unintentional cases (n = 485) from 1045 calls to the BPC were included. After having called the BPC, 92.1% did not seek further medical help, 4.2% consulted a GP and 3.7% went to an ED. In the absence of the BPC, 13.8% would not have sought any further help, 49.3% would have consulted a GP and 36.9% would have gone to the hospital. The cost-benefit ratio of the availability of the BPC as versus its absence was estimated at 5.70. CONCLUSIONS: Financial savings can be made if people first call the BPC for unintentional poisonings.
Entities:
Keywords:
Cost–benefit ratio; Decision tree; Healthcare expenses; Poison control centre; Public health; Unintentional poisonings
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