Section 215.200  Rights and Obligations of Regional Poison Control Centers

a)         The Director or his or her designee shall designate at least one and no more than three Regional Poison Control Centers.  (Section 15 of the Act)

b)         Human poison control centers wishing to be designated as a Regional Poison Control Center shall submit an application in accordance with Section 215.300.

c)         If there are more than three applicants for designation as a Regional Poison Control Center or there is more than one applicant for the same geographic service area, the Director shall consider the following criteria in selecting an applicant for designation:

1)         Whether the applicant has previously served as a Department-approved Regional Poison Control Center;

2)         Whether the applicant is affiliated with a medical school, school of nursing, school of pharmacy or other health care professional teaching program;

3)         How quickly the applicant can establish 24 hour operations in full compliance with the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Accreditation of Poison Control Centers standards and the requirements of this Part; and

4)         The applicant's prior experience in providing poison control consultation services.

d)         Applicants shall be notified, in writing, if they have or have not been designated as a Regional Poison Control Center.

e)         Regional Poison Control Centers shall comply with the American Association of Poison Control Centers' Accreditation of Poison Control Centers standards within two years after designation unless the Center has been granted an extension by the Department.  (Section 15 of the Act)  The extension shall be provided in writing. 

1)         The Department's decision to grant an extension shall be based on, but not limited to, the following circumstances:

A)        The applicant has experienced hardship in hiring staff, for reasons other than level of compensation; or

B)        The applicant is waiting until designation to appoint a Medical or Managing Director.

2)         An application for an extension shall contain the following information:

A)        A description of how the applicant has attempted to comply with this Section;

B)        The reasons for noncompliance;

C)        A detailed plan for achieving compliance.  The detailed plan shall include specific timetables;

D)        The period of time for which the extension is being sought; and

E)        An explanation of how the extension will not reduce the quality of poison control services provided by the applicant.

f)         A Regional Poison Control Center shall maintain its designation unless it voluntarily closes, giving the Department at least a 90-day prior written notice of the intent to close, or the Department revokes or suspends the designation, in writing, for the Center's failure to comply with the Act and this Part. (Section 15 of the Act) Proceedings to revoke or suspend a Center's designation shall be conducted in accordance with the Department's Rules of Practice and Procedure in Administrative Hearings (77 Ill. Adm. Code 100).

g)         Poison Control Centers shall cooperate to reduce the cost of operations, collect information on poisoning exposures, and provide education to the public and health professionals.  (Section 15 of the Act)

h)         Regional Poison Control Centers shall be considered State agencies for purposes of the State Employee Indemnification Act [5 ILCS 350]. (Section 15 of the Act)

i)          Poison Control Centers shall create and then maintain all business, patient contact and financial records for no less than four years. All records shall be available to the Department for inspection or copying during normal business hours upon request. Information specific to any particular patient or caller shall be considered strictly confidential and shall not be subject to FOIA or otherwise released to the public.

(Source:  Amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 16204, effective December 9, 2016)