March 16-22 is Poison Prevention week
- Scott & White-based experts guide Central Texans to safety, prevention -

TEMPLE, TEXAS – When Central Texans call their poison control center, they are likely to hear the voice of one of the Scott & White Healthcare professionals who staff the Temple-based Central Texas Position Center.

These Scott & White nurses, pharmacists and physicians field and respond to more than 50,000 calls – 18,000 involving children – each year. The poison center serves a 30-county area that stretches from Waco to College Station and Austin to San Marcos.

Doug Borys, director of the Central Texas Poison Center at Scott & White Healthcare wants people to know that poisons can come in the form of typical household products and seemingly benign medications as well as from toxic plants and hissing snakes.

“You have to be aware that all the products in your house have the risk of being dangerous,” says Borys “You may think, for example, that your kitchen cleaner is safe, but not if someone drinks it,” he says. “And the only difference between a therapeutic drug and a poison is the dose.”

One of only six poison centers in Texas, the Temple facility provides information and help on such topics as pet health, advice on prescription doses to medical emergencies.

Position prevention tips:

• Use child-resistant caps on all medications.
• Never leave household products unattended.
• Store all potential poisons in their original, labeled containers.
• Keep children and pets away from poisonous plants.
• Learn which plants and critters are toxic to humans and keep children and pets away from them.

The Central Texas Poison Center can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 1-800-222-1222. For a list of poisonous plants and medications, along with other information on poison prevention, go to http://www.poisoncontrol.org/.

For more information, contact:

Judith Curtis Kuempel
Scott & White Healthcare

Media and Public Relations

254-724-4097
512-466-1929

jkuempel@swmail.sw.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 13, 2009