The Georgia Poison Center (GPC) is a 24-hour poison emergency information service for health care professionals and residents of Georgia. Thousands of Georgians benefit each year from the Poison Center’s services that rank among the top 3 busiest centers in the nation based on volume of calls. In addition to phone-based consultations, the GPC provides information via chat and email platforms and can provide language translation for non-English speakers. GPC staff have the capability of teleworking which enhances the resilience of the resource towards disasters. Data from the GPC is shared in near-real-time with the Georgia Department of Health and with the CDC via the National Poison Data System that is managed by the American Association of Poison Control Centers.
The GPC is primarily staffed by experienced and certified, nurses and pharmacists with continuously available back-up from clinical toxicologists. Data is recorded in its own electronic database that allows for detailed analysis that facilitates disaster response and strategic planning. The GPC also maintains a database of antidotes in the state that can prove useful in emergencies. Lastly, the GPC manages the distribution of CHEMPACK resources when needed.
