• Sulaiman Bharwani, Hina Raheel, Mehreen Rahim, Qudsia Shaukat, Sania Al Hamad, and Hasiat Khan.
• From the Departments of *Pediatrics, College of Medicine; †Gynecology and Obstetrics, College of Medicine; ‡Family Medicine, College of Medicine, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; §Child Health Institute, Al Ain Hospital Affiliate of Vienna Medical University, Vienna, Austria; and ∥Department of Emergency Medicine, Tawam Affiliate of Johns Hopkins International Hospitals, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
• Pediatr Emerg Care. 2013 Dec 1;29(12):1255-9.

ObjectivesWhen measuring physicians' competencies, there is no consensus as to what would constitute an optimum exposure in unintentional pediatric poisoning. In the absence of universal protocols and poison centers' support, the behavior responses of the physicians can vary depending on their exposure to cases. We sought to determine if there was a correlation between the case exposure and physicians' behavior choices that could affect quality and cost of care.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted in 2010, and a self-reporting survey questionnaire was given to the physicians in the pediatric emergency departments and primary care centers in the city of Al Ain. The physicians' responses were plotted against (a) the number of cases the physicians have had managed in the preceding 12 months and (b) the number of years the physicians have had been in practiceResultsOne hundred seven physicians partook in the survey. We found that the physicians who had managed more than 2 cases of childhood poisoning in the preceding year chose significantly more positive behavior responses when compared with those who had managed 2 cases or less. There was no significant difference when the responses were measured against the physicians' number of years of practice.ConclusionsPhysicians' practice effectiveness may improve if they manage at least 3 cases of childhood poisoning in a year. Physicians training modules could be developed for those physicians who do not get the optimum exposure necessary in improving physicians' behaviors associated with effective quality and cost efficiency.

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