Citation

Chung AHY, Tsui SH, Tong HK. Hong Kong J. Emerg. Med. 2007; 14(3): 134-143.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, Medcom Limited)

DOI

10.1177/102490790701400302

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of the recently established Emergency Department (ED) Toxicology Team of Queen Mary Hospital (QMH) in the management of acute intoxication.

METHOD: A descriptive comparative study with retrospective data collection from all intoxicated and suspected intoxicated patients over two separate half-year periods in 2001 and 2006, before and after the establishment of the ED Toxicology Team in July 2005. Data on reasons of intoxication, drugs and substances involved, ED treatments, patient disposition, length of stay in ED, length of stay in hospital, patient outcome, and 30-day ED re-attendance and hospital re-admission were collected and examined.

RESULTS: A total of 333 intoxicated patients were included in the study, 171 in 2001 and 162 in 2006. The basic epidemiological data were similar in both groups. There was a marked reduction in hospital admissions from 89.5% to 40.7% (P<0.01) and significant decline in average length of hospital stay from 46.8 hours to 29.2 hours (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in patient outcome, 30-day ED re-attendance and hospital re-admission.

CONCLUSION: Our findings showed that the establishment of the ED Toxicology Team in QMH achieved significant reductions in hospital admissions and the length of stay in hospital in the management of patients with acute intoxication without jeopardising patient outcome. The results illustrate that the new model has a beneficial role in reducing cost and alleviating stress on hospital bed availability, therefore it can be recognised as a cost-effective means of management of acute intoxication.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescent; adult; human; naloxone; Toxicology; child; female; male; Poisoning; aged; resuscitation; Emergency medicine; suicide attempt; hospitalization; drug abuse; intoxication; toxicology; emergency medicine; article; comparative study; major clinical study; controlled study; analgesic agent; anticonvulsive agent; antidepressant agent; neuroleptic agent; retrospective study; carbon monoxide; epidemiological data; opiate; intensive care unit; statistical significance; emergency ward; paracetamol; activated carbon; cost effectiveness analysis; outcomes research; antidote; atropine; flumazenil; domestic chemical; cholinergic receptor blocking agent; hypnotic agent; hospital bed utilization; acetylcysteine; bicarbonate; sedative agent; psychostimulant agent; oxygen; psychedelic agent; cardiovascular agent; ward; herbaceous agent; accidental injury; industrial chemical; ipecac