As part of NIPD 2023, Parachute invites hospitals across Canada to raise awareness about the importance of injury prevention to the health-care system.
Why injury prevention is important for hospitals
The Cost of Injury in Canada report shows that, in one year, preventable injuries from collisions, falls, poisonings, drownings and violence cost the Canadian healthcare system $29.4 billion. That’s $56 million per day. Direct costs – costs incurred by hospitals for medical supplies, diagnostic imaging, drugs, ambulance transportation, emergency care costs, hospital care costs, physician services fees and rehabilitation costs – make up the vast majority at $20.4 billion.
While hospitals treat injuries after they happen, medical centres have a key role to play, as well as a vested interest, in preventing injuries from happening in the first place. Think of how many patients who have suffered a preventable injury fill your trauma and emergency departments, along with other units. We are stronger together.
NIPD brings an opportunity for us to shine a light on the preventability of injuries. It’s a chance to come together across disciplines to raise awareness that we have effective solutions to keep people from getting seriously injured or killed and to stop them from needing hospital/trauma services.
Join the challenge in 2023
NIPD Hospital Challenge
NIPD challenge activities reported by Canadian hospitals in 2022
Montreal Children’s Hospital
- Created injury prevention activity sheets for patients
- Participated in social media and approaching local media partners
- Staff challenged to share pictures of themselves or their children doing something safely and also ask the public to participate via social media
Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto
- Participated in social media including social media posts, lighting up our hospital LED screens, a SickKids Daily News story, and posting on SickKids.ca
- Created an injury prevention colouring and activity sheet for patients to be circulated with the lunch meal trays and available on the units
- Had an injury prevention trivia challenge on our internal SKOOP TV!
Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto
- Highlight key injury prevention programs including Stop the Bleed and Breaking the Cycle of Violence with Empathy (BRAVE)
- To sweeten the day, sold selling green ice cream and slushies with proceeds aimed at supporting violently injured patients and their families. A raffle allowed staff the opportunity to win a Stop the Bleed gift basket with a T shirt, tourniquet, and gift certificate for training
- Communications team shared injury prevention information via social channels and the staff intranet
London Health Sciences Centre
- An information booth in our B Atrium was illuminated in green for NIPD on July 5
Riverview Health Centre, Winnipeg
- Staff email reminded staff to wear green and why
- Staff wore green to show support in injury prevention
- Posters were placed around the facility for injury prevention
Regina General Hospital
- Put article in the Saskatchewan Heath Authority Daily Newsletter a week prior to July 5 informing everyone on what this day represented and provided statistics and information regarding preventable injuries
- Our team wore green and hung signs throughout the hospital, and got our Emergency Medical Services Teams involved.
Foothills Medical Centre, Calgary
- Local statistics and resources/links were displayed on hospital information screens
- Staff encouraged to wear green
- Parachute resources posters were displayed in high-traffic areas
Edmonton Trauma Zone, Alberta Health Services
- Created a presentation poster highlighting the injuries that we see at Stollery Children’s Hospital
- Teamed up with local media to get the message out about the cost of injury and what the public can do to prevent injuries
Royal Alexander Hospital, Edmonton
- Information booth at the hospital entrance/atrium. A Trauma Co-ordinator/data analyst was at the info booth
- Had Edmonton-specific injury data
- Green-colour pens handed out
- Injury prevention information sheets provided through the trauma system in the hospital
Northern Lights Regional Health Centre, Wood Buffalo, Alta.
- All staff members were encouraged to wear green on July 5 and use social media hashtags
- Posters displayed in the ER department and through the facility
- Local statistics displayed in the ED and waiting area
- Information/worksheet created by Safe Communities Wood Buffalo provided to children in the ED and on inpatient unit
Kelowna General Hospital, Vernon Jubilee Hospital and Royal Inland Hospital, B.C.
- Buildings lit green
- NIPD awareness part of local Trauma Awareness Week July 4 to 8
Vancouver General Hospital, B.C.
- Posters displayed in the ED, ICU and Trauma Units
- Local media coverage
- Staff wore green and/or wear green ribbons on July 5