Savings & Efficiency

Savings/Efficiency

Florida’s Poison Control Centers have been recognized in congressional reports as one of the most cost efficient poison center networks in the nation.

Poison Control Centers are staffed by Certified Specialists in Poison Information (CSPI) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, who provide confidential services at no cost to callers. This nationally-accredited team of physician assistants quickly respond to calls relating to any type of poisoning or request for information. The poison centers save medical costs associated with treatment of poisoning, eliminating needless emergency room visits by managing the majority of exposures by phone and providing more cost efficient care by co-managing those poisoned patients that have been admitted to a health care facility.

Cost/Charge Savings

Eighty-three percent of poisoning exposure calls are safely managed on site with poison center advice and follow-up.  This results in an annual savings of over $107 million in avoided health care costs in Florida.

Likewise, recent Florida data documents that poison centers assisting health care providers in managing poisoned patients at health care facilities reduce hospital charges by approximately $95 million per year.  This represents an annual health care cost reduction of over $202 million for the State of Florida.

Savings & Efficiency Info-graph (PDF)