Do hospitals just like know about all snakebites or is it part of like a special doctor training or do they just have like a snake expert doctor on staff. Do they have all the anti-venoms readily available or do you need to go to a special snake hospital.
In: Biology
It’s often a regional thing. Hospitals will have anti-venoms in stock for the types of poisonous snakes known to be in that area.
Not all Hospitals will have anti-venom, just like not all hospitals are equipped to deal with heart surgery. The health authority will try to set it up so that there is anti-venom available within a reasonable distance of all populated areas but that’s not always practical. In some cases they will have arrangements with suppliers and facilities so that anti-venom can be sourced quickly if required, or they use a helicopter to move a patient quickly.
The specific type of snake usually has to be identified to ensure the correct anti-venom is used.
There are specialists in this field, but ER physicians will all be trained in snake bites. There’s basic training for all Doctors on the subject, and more specific training for Doctors in known danger areas.
For example since the chances of running into an Arizona snake in New York are virtually nil, New York hospitals won’t carry that particular anti-venom. But they will likely have a pathway to get some if required.
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