Toxicology Telemedicine Services for Emergency Departments

UPMC in North Central Pa.'s telemedicine services continue to grow. The latest is toxicology tele-consults for EDs.

Our tele-toxicologists can help you treat people who come to the ED sick from exposure to drugs, chemicals, and biological agents.

These consults will also help you decide if patients need buprenorphine for opioid use disorder or withdrawal.

A few medicines that contain buprenorphine include:

• Suboxone®
• Subutex®
• Zubsolv®

If there isn't a doctor in the ED to prescribe these drugs, you'll need verbal consent from the patient for the tele-consult.

How a Toxicology Telemedicine Consult Works

Once you receive the patient's consent, you should then use MedCall to page the tele-toxicologist on-call.

Next, the patient's RN, charge RN, or other staff member will retrieve the ED's telemedicine device.

When the tele-toxicologist returns the page, they will:

1. Get brief history and a reason for the consult from an ED attending or resident.
2. Connect to the ED's telemedicine device on Vidyo and complete the assessment and.
3. E-prescribe the proper medications for a duration of treatment to allow outpatient follow-up.

UPMC Tele-Toxicologists

At UPMC Mercy:

• Michael Abesamis, MD
• Michael Lynch, MD

At UPMC Presbyterian:

• Anthony Pizon, MD
• Joshua Shulman, MD
• Joseph Yanta, MD