Section 215.400  Operation of a Regional Poison Control Center

a)         The Center shall be in operation and have toll-free telephone availability on a 24-hour-a-day, 365-days-a-year basis to both the general public and health care providers.

b)         The Center staff shall have immediate access during all hours of operation to comprehensive poison information, which shall include:

1)         Current toxicology information resources available at the telephone answering site;

2)         A comprehensive set of references covering both general and specific aspects of acute poison management, available at the telephone answering site;

3)         Primary information resources (reprint files, systems, etc.) and access to a major medical library and/or information system; and

4)         Poison specialty consultants available on an on-call basis.

c)         The Center shall have written management protocols for responding to calls that provide a consistent approach to evaluation and treatment of toxic exposures and that are approved by the Center's Managing Director and Medical Director.  These protocols shall be followed and be available at the telephone answering site.

d)         The Center shall have a health education component that includes, at a minimum:

1)         Instruction in prevention, care and management of poisonings for health care professionals, which may include EMS personnel, nurses, pharmacists, physicians and other providers;

2)         Outreach education for the general public concerning poison prevention and first response; and

3)         Cooperation with medical toxicology fellowship programs.

e)         The Center shall have a data management system that is kept current and:

1)         Maintains patient confidentiality;

2)         Provides a sufficient narrative to allow for peer review and medical and legal audit; and

3)         Collects data elements to allow for prompt filing of quarterly reports in accordance with Section 215.600.

f)         The Center shall provide services to all patients regardless of ability to pay or source of payment.

(Source:  Amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 16204, effective December 9, 2016)