ACMT and the Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP) Collaborate to Advance Care of Poisoned Patients Worldwide
Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) April 29, 2014 -- The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT), through its International Committee, is working with the Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP) as part of an international effort to break down boundaries to medical toxicology education and patient care in developing countries. GETUP directly connects clinicians with different backgrounds and access to resources through videoconferencing in order to share experiences in managing patients with poisoning resulting from acute and chronic exposure to medications, chemicals, venoms, and environmental toxins. As a result, it promotes education of all participants as they discuss toxicologic diagnoses common to some regions but rare to others, as well as the management of mutually common conditions with and without the benefit of treatments such as advanced antidotes. According to Project Director Anselm Wong, MD, “Discussing basic management principles and mechanisms of toxicity can help change patient outcomes even in the most challenging remote circumstances.”
GETUP was piloted in 2013 by medical toxicologists and emergency physicians from three centers, including the Austin Hospital Toxicology Service in Victoria, Australia, UCSF-Fresno Toxicology Service in California, USA, and Colonial War Memorial Hospital, in Suva, Fiji. “Poisoning is an under-recognized burden to global health, similar to many neglected tropical diseases,” says Rais Vohra, MD, chair of the ACMT International Committee. “Part of the problem is that many poisonings and exposures occur in countries and regions that lack medical toxicologists or poison control centers. With the GETUP project, we are able to discuss case-based management and toxicology research updates with our member sites using free videoconferencing software. This is a pathway to building poisoning management expertise where people most need it, and that will have a positive impact on human poisoning.”
The GETUP Project is now expanding beyond the pilot phase and enrolling more sites worldwide. The project currently includes 26 centers in 14 countries. GETUP is open to new registrants, and welcomes health care centers with and without expertise in human poisoning to become involved. Interested parties can register through the website http://www.acmt.net/GETUP.html.
The American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) is a professional, nonprofit association of physicians with recognized expertise in medical toxicology. The College is dedicated to advancing the science and practice of medical toxicology.
Public Affairs, American College of Medical Toxicology, +1 6235336340, [email protected]
Share this article