A national snapshot of data collection in Australian clinical toxicology units

Background Clinical toxicology units manage an increasing number of poisonings in Australia. Many units maintain observational databases of presentations. This study aimed to describe the current state of data collection across Australian clinical toxicology units.Methods This was a cross-sectional descriptive study using survey methodology of Australian clinical toxicology units. Each unit was electronically surveyed regarding the data collection methods in use at their site and the characteristics of data collected.Results All thirteen units responded, with ten units using a database. Of these, seven used REDCap®, two used FileMaker and one used Microsoft Excel®. Among the ten units that use databases, five of the ten collected detailed presentation data (ingestion details, disposition) and detailed complication data (e.g. cardiac arrest, dysrhythmia, seizure, hypotension, coma, organ injury) and six of the ten collected detailed treatment data (e.g. intubation, inotropes, charcoal, dialysis, antidote), five of which were the units that collected detailed presentation data.Conclusion There is considerable variation between units and only 38% of which comprehensive data were collected. Those collecting more detailed data have high congruence among the elements collected, providing a potential starting point for a minimum data set to improve data collection in clinical toxicology units.