COSTS OF POISONING IN THE UNITED-STATES AND SAVINGS FROM POISON CONTROL CENTERS - A BENEFIT-COST-ANALYSIS

Data on incidence, medical spending, and payment sources for poisoning were taken from the 1987 National Medical Expenditure Survey, 1991 US Vital Statistics, the 1992 National Hospital Discharge Survey, and 19 92 poison control center surveillance data. Benefits, measured as perc entage reductions in medical spending attributable to use of poison ce ntral centers, were calculated from analyses of published and unpublis hed studies of jurisdictions in which services became unavailable. Med ical spending (payments) for poisoning treatment totaled $3 billion in 1992. Spending averaged $925 per case. Poison control center services were available for 86% of poisonings. As used, they reduced the numbe r of patients who were medically treated but not hospitalized for pois oning by an estimated 350,000 (24%) and the number of hospitalizations by 40,000 (12%) in 1992. The average public call to a poison control center for aid prevented $175 in other medical spending. Poison contro l centers offer a large return on investment. Despite their proven ben efits, many poison control centers are unstably funded and financially strapped, in part because the federal government pays far less than i ts fair share of center costs.