UMC’s poison center celebrates 30 years of serving EP community

EL PASO, Texas ( KTSM )—The West Texas Poison Center (WTPC) at the University Medical Center (UMC) of El Paso is celebrating 30 years of serving the community since its foundation in 1994 at the Thomason General Hospital Inpatient Pharmacy.

According to UMC, the WTPC handles cases of accidental medication poisonings, snake bites, insect stings, and poisonous plants.

“Our Poison Center hotline is a vital resource not only for the residents of West Texas but to the many healthcare professionals who also call us for advice and guidance with their patients,” said Dr. Salvador Baeza, director of UMC’s WTPC. “We look forward to serving our community for many more years.”

According to UMC, the center became 100 percent certified by the American Association of Poison Control Centers in 2023.

The WTCP is open 24/7 and is a teaching site for residents, interns, and students from Texas Tech, the University of Texas at El Paso, the University Health Sciences Center El Paso, and William Beaumont Army Medical Center.

In addition, the WTPC assists in 36 counties in West Texas, including Midland, Odessa, and San Angelo.

If you think someone has been poisoned, you can call WTCP right away at 1-800-222-1222.

For more information about the WTCP, you can visit their website here .

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