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Poison center offers
information fair

Hotline hours

Star-Bulletin staff

The public is invited to join the 43-year-old Hawaii Poison Center at a free fair tomorrow in recognition of National Poison Prevention Week.

The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the Uptown Liberty House side of the Pearlridge Shopping Center.

Interactive exhibits will include "Ask a Pharmacist," "Ask a Veterinarian" featuring live animals, and "Ask a Botanist."

Exhibits also will be shown on plant safety, food poisoning and poison prevention in the home. A keiki booth will offer ways for kids to learn about poison safety.

While celebrating a long history, the Poison Center is struggling with financial problems that forced a reduction in its hotline hours last August.

The popular hot line is open 24 hours a day except for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, when it's closed from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. At those times, people are advised to contact their doctors, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Willow Morton, vice president of community relations at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women & Children, which administers the poison center, said the cutback in hours "resulted in a decrease in calls, which is concerning. People are confused about whether we're open."

But she said federal legislation has passed to establish a national network of poison centers and provide some funding.

"We're basically trying just to hang on and fund-raise as hard as we can and maintain our education and prevention programs, hoping we'll be able to tap into federal funds next year."

She said Kapiolani has committed up to $100,000 for the center this year, as well as providing space and covering other administrative costs.

Other hospitals and health plans also contribute and the center receives individual donations and seeks funds from trusts and foundations, she said.

The center's direct costs run about $180,000 a year, which it is a long way from reaching, she said.

Registered nurses overseen by a medical director and specially trained in poison information, procedures and techniques staff the free hotline: 941-4411. The neighbor island toll-free number is 1-800-362-3585.

In the past fiscal year, 66 percent of the cases reported to the center were managed at home, saving medical expenses for patients who otherwise would have had to go to an emergency room or clinic, the center said.

About 27 percent of the center's calls in the last fiscal year came from the neighbor islands -- 1,208 from the Big Island; 1,111 from Maui; 437 from Kauai; 36 from Molokai, and 10 from Lanai.

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Hours The Poison Center can be called at 941-4411 (or 1-800-362-3585 from the neighbor islands). It's open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week except for Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, when it's closed from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.