Evidence map›Paper›PMID 22889059›Full record

ArticleClinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.)2012

High call volume at poison control centers: identification and implications for communication.

E M Caravati, S Latimer, M Reblin, H K W Bennett, M R Cummins, B I Crouch, L Ellington

Erratum issuedAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Clinical toxicology (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Virtual Urgent Care Quality and Safety in the Time of Coronavirus.Joint Commission journal on quality and patient safety · 2021
    Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

  • Erratum issued
5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

E M CaravatiUtah Poison Control Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84132, USA. Martin.Caravati@hsc.utah.edu
S Latimer
M Reblin
H K W Bennett
M R Cummins
B I Crouch
L Ellington

Funding

Predictive Modeling of Call Outcomes to Poison Control Center RecommendationsR01NR010119 · NINR · UNIVERSITY OF UTAH · PI ELLINGTON, LEE A · 2007 to 2009
$1.1M
NINR NIH HHS R01 NR010119
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

contextHigh volume surges in health care are uncommon and unpredictable events. Their impact on health system performance and capacity is difficult to study.

objectivesTo identify time periods that exhibited very busy conditions at a poison control center and to determine whether cases and communication during high volume call periods are different from cases during low volume periods.

methodsCall data from a US poison control center over twelve consecutive months was collected via a call logger and an electronic case database (Toxicall®).Variables evaluated for high call volume conditions were: (1) call duration; (2) number of cases; and (3) number of calls per staff member per 30 minute period. Statistical analyses identified peak periods as busier than 99% of all other 30 minute time periods and low volume periods as slower than 70% of all other 30 minute periods. Case and communication characteristics of high volume and low volume calls were compared using logistic regression.

resultsA total of 65,364 incoming calls occurred over 12 months. One hundred high call volume and 4885 low call volume 30 minute periods were identified. High volume periods were more common between 1500 and 2300 hours and during the winter months. Coded verbal communication data were evaluated for 42 high volume and 296 low volume calls. The mean (standard deviation) call length of these calls during high volume and low volume periods was 3 minutes 27 seconds (1 minute 46 seconds) and 3 minutes 57 seconds (2 minutes 11 seconds), respectively. Regression analyses revealed a trend for fewer overall verbal statements and fewer staff questions during peak periods, but no other significant differences for staff-caller communication behaviors were found.

conclusionPeak activity for poison center call volume can be identified by statistical modeling. Calls during high volume periods were similar to low volume calls. Communication was more concise yet staff was able to maintain a good rapport with callers during busy call periods. This approach allows evaluation of poison exposure call characteristics and communication during high volume periods.

Indexed as

CommunicationModels, StatisticalDatabases, FactualHumansLogistic ModelsPoison Control CentersRegression AnalysisTelephoneTime FactorsUnited States

Identifiers

PMID22889059
PMCPMC4967878

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.