Altus Direct Health

Clinical Medical Laboratory

A clinical laboratory is a facility for the biological, microbiological, serological, chemical, immunohematological, hematological, biophysical, cytological, pathological, or other examination of materials derived from the human body for the purpose of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of, human beings. These examinations also include procedures to determine, measure, or otherwise describe the presence or absence of various substances or organisms in the body. Facilities only collecting or preparing specimens (or both) or only serving as a mailing service and not performing testing are not considered clinical laboratories. (2) Any facility that examines materials from the human body for purposes of providing information for the diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of any disease or impairment of, or the assessment of, the health of human beings. Typical divisions of a clinical laboratory include hematology, cytology, bacteriology, histology, biochemistry, medical toxicology, and serology.

Emergency Medicine Toxicology

Altus Direct Health is an Emergency Medicine Toxicology practice in Columbus, OH with healthcare providers who have special training and skill in addressing illness and injury caused by medications, industrial chemicals, biological hazards, and radiological agents. Emergency Medicine Toxicologists at Altus Direct Health perform in emergency departments and poison control centers. Emergency Medicine Toxicology is a medical subspecialty that diagnoses, treats, and prevents poisoning. Significant diseases and conditions treated at Emergency Medicine Toxicology practices include workplace accidents involving chemicals, drug abuse withdrawal, overdoses, exposure to animal and plant venom, radiation poisoning, and biological terrorism. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Emergency Medicine Toxicology practices include first aid, mechanical ventilation, antidotes, and gastric lavage.

Medical toxicologists are physicians who specialize in the prevention, evaluation, treatment and monitoring of injury and illness from exposures to drugs and chemicals, as well as biological and radiological agents. Medical toxicologists care for people in clinical, academic, governmental and public health settings, and provide poison control center leadership. Important areas of medical toxicology include acute drug poisoning, adverse drug events, drug abuse, addiction and withdrawal, chemicals and hazardous materials, terrorism preparedness, venomous bites and stings and environmental and workplace exposures.