Iowa Statewide Poison Control Center

What it reported doing in 2024

Poison control servicesiowa statewide poison control center (ispcc) provides Iowa's 3.2 million residents 24-hour toll-free telephone access to emergency poison information and treatment advice from specially trained nurses, pharmacists and physician toxicologists. The ispcc can assist people of all languages and the hearing impaired. During the fiscal year 2024-25, the ispcc managed 23,769 cases. Severe poisoning cases involve multiple calls on the same case. The growing complexity and severity of cases reported to the ispcc is reflected in the record high 53,308 follow-up calls made to assess and continually monitor the patient's progress. National studies show consultations with poison control centers impact on-the-spot care and improve patient outcomes. Over eighty-five percent of the cases involving children <6 years of age were safely managed at home with poison center advice and follow-up. This results in annual savings of at least $15 million in avoided health care costs in Iowa. The ispcc is also a valuable resource for health care providers with over one-third of calls coming from physicians, nurses, ems providers, pharmacists and physician assistants. The ispcc engages in a wide range of public education activities including visits to schools, hospitals, and doctors' offices, and local community venues such as safety fairs. Distribution of poison prevention materials occurs through community organizations, direct mail, pharmacies, health care facilities, and the website, www.iowapoison.org. The ispcc serves as a training site for health care professionals, provides continuing medical education through lectures and conferences, and distributes an e-newsletter for health care providers with the goal of improving the quality of care provided to patients with suspected poisoning or overdose. The ispcc participates in a national real-time surveillance system to identify and monitor present or potential poisoning or drug hazards and help alert local, state and federal health officials of such trends.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92%; rating input score 92
• Program expense ratio: 86.7%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $121.39 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -6.1%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.17; rating input score 42; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.31; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.3% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.7% per year; rating input score 100; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 12.8% per year; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings