Samaritan Highlights National Injury Prevention Day
Published on: November 16, 2023
Watertown, NY – Samaritan Medical Center is in the process of applying for Level III Adult Trauma Center Designation through the New York State Department of Health. As part of this initiative, we are prepared to treat and stabilize trauma patients effectively and Samaritan aims to take a community approach to injury prevention.
November 18, 2023, is National Injury Prevention Day, also termed “Shine a Green Light” day, and many healthcare facilities nationwide are bringing attention to the incidents that can lead to unnecessary injuries.
Injuries and violence are the leading causes of death and disabilities for people from age one to 44 years old. Advocacy organizations like Injury Free Coalition for Kids®, Safe Kids Worldwide, Safe States Alliance, the American Trauma Society, the American Academy of Pediatrics, BeSMART, a division of Everytown for Gun Safety, the Society for Advancement of Violence and Injury Research, the Trauma Centers of America Association and JPMA Cares a division of the Juvenile Products and Manufacturers Association are part of the coalition to bring awareness to the cause.
Samaritan appreciates the City of Watertown for their Proclamation of November 18, 2023, in the City as Injury Prevention Day.
Samaritan has had almost 1,000 patients present with preventable injuries through the Emergency Department this year. Awareness and education are key for community members to make better choices and to prevent injuries. “We are grateful for the support the City of Watertown has shown to our community education effort,” states Dr. Daniel Bryden, General Surgeon and Chief of the Trauma Program at Samaritan. “Our team has been working on this designation and are fully prepared to care for local patients. Outside of the clinical needs, community education is key; prevention is key. Acknowledging and celebrating this Injury Prevention Day is the start of our public outreach efforts.”
There are many ways to prevent injuries, but there are significant areas of focus such as: All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) safety, daycare safety, fire safety, firearm injury prevention, home safety, motor vehicle safety, playground safety, poison prevention, safe teen driving, sports injury prevention, water safety, and wheeled sports safety. Each of these areas outline specific ways to reduce injuries and be safe. Learn more at https://injuryfree.org/
On average, Samaritan’s Emergency Department has over 30,000 patient visits each year.
