September is the month when Tennessee Poison Center’s outreach gears up with numerous health fairs and school programs. At these events, outreach staff urge residents to save the Poison Help hotline phone number in their cell phones. Although our phone stickers and magnets are our most requested poison prevention items, a person may not be near a landline or the refrigerator when a poisoning occurs.
Recently, we have had many people comment with “Good idea!” when we tell them to put 1-800-222-1222 in their cell phone. At a health fair yesterday, several people mentioned that their pediatrician distributes a refrigerator magnet or phone stickers at a check-up, but they thought it would be very helpful if their physician would tell them to put the number in their cell phone.
Tennessee Poison Center has business cards (one side English – the other side Spanish) distributed by HRSA that advocate saving 1-800-222-1222 in your cell phone. I’ve attached a PDF of this card
If you would like to distribute this card to your patients, please call our administrative office at (615)936-0760.
This question prepared by: Josephine Darwin, Director of Community Outreach
I am interested in any questions you would like answered in the Question of the Week. Please email me with any suggestion at donna.seger@vanderbilt.edu
Donna Seger, MD
Medical Director
Tennessee Poison Center
Website: www.tnpoisoncenter.org
Poison Help Hotline: 1-800-222-1222