Building a Knowledge Base for Health Information Exchange between Emergency Departments and Poison Control Centers

Electronic information exchange between emergency departments and poison control centers could reduce medical error, reduce time to treatment, and improve continuity of care for poisonings. This paper describes our ongoing work developing a knowledge base for health information exchange between emergency departments and poison control centers. We determined expert consensus on salient legal, operational, and clinical aspects of exchange, and we are conducting a detailed analysis of the current process as the basis for improvement. The products provide concrete guidance for further research and development, and policy initiatives to promote adoption.