KFDA - NewsChannel 10 / Amarillo News, Weather, SportsAmarillo InfantRisk call center: Helping women across the Panhandle

Amarillo InfantRisk call center: Helping women across the Panhandle

AMARILLO, TX - Amarillo is home to the largest call center catering to mothers and mothers to be when it comes to medication and prescription drug questions.

It's a valuable resource doctors wish more residents would take advantage of.

It was a quiet day at the InfantRisk Call Center when NewsChannel 10 showed up this morning.

But as Thomas Hale, and he'll be the first to tell you that's not always the case.

"We get about 700 calls a month right now," Hale said. "We received well over 9,200 calls in the last year we've been open."

Doctor Hale started this center in August 2010.

It's purpose is to provide a free educational resource mothers can take advantage of whenever they have questions concerning their health or the well being of their babies.

"The most frequent calls we get are about analgesics in breast feeding mothers," Hale said. "We also get a lot of calls about oxycodone and hydrocodone and all the other anti-depressants women may be taking during that time period."

Call takers are certified and have a background in the medical field.

"The InfantRisk center is staffed with nurses, nurse practitioners, pediatricians, pharmacists, and medical students," Pediatrician Maria Milla said. "We're equipped to answer all kinds of questions."

So far, the program seems to be working.

"We had a mother call about 5 months ago who wanted to know about some seizure medications," Hale said. "She told us that had this center been open 10 years ago, her sister would have been alive. This woman's sister had become pregnant and was on anti-convalescent medications and was told to go off those pills. She eventually had a seizure in the bath tub and passed away."

The center says it wants to be that life line for anyone needing a quick medical related question answered.

Iphone and Android users can also get access to information on the go by searching for the "InfantRisk" application in the Apple or Android market store.

For more information about the call center, visit http://www.infantrisk.com/

The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You can contact the facility by calling 352-2519.