Safety in the Home.

Why is it that no one really understands the importance of safety and injury prevention? Our emergency rooms are filled to capacity with patients requiring medical care because of an accident at home. I really enjoy listening to the patients tell me how stupid they were and if they had only done this or that it wouldn't have happened.
Another favorite of mine is when patients will tell me they have been doing something the same way, but the wrong way for some time and this is the first time they were injured.
As you already know, the cost of healthcare is skyrocketing. If people would just pay a little attention to safety and injury prevention, I believe that we could reduce our healthcare expenditures by millions. The following is a list of the 22 safety items no home should be without published by the National Safety Council on their website authored by Carla Merolla and Laura Coyne.
1. Smoke Detectors
2. Carbon Monoxide Monitor
3. Radon-Detector Kit
4. Night Lights
5. Sensor Lights
6. Sturdy One-Step Stool
7. Rubber Suction Bath Mats and Slip-Resistant Throw Rugs
8. Grab Bars
9. Handrails
10. Deadbolt Locks
11. Ground-Fault Circuit Breakers
12. Fire Extinguishers
13. First-Aid Kit
14. Flashlights
15. Fire-Safety Window Guards and Safety Glazing
16. Written Family Evacuation Plan
17. Family Disaster Kit
18. NOAA All-Hazard Alert Radio
19. Posted Emergency Phone Numbers
20. Test Appliances
21. Personal Protective Equipment
22. Tagged Shutoffs
This list is not comprehensive and the details of each item can be found at the NSC website. According to the National Safety Council, there were 29,500 deaths associated with the home in the year 2000. Many of these deaths were probably not instantaneous. I am sure several came after emergency medical care, trauma services and a whole host of medical services were provided in order to save the life of the patient. Think just a second about the cost of all of this. Prevention, prevention and prevention is becoming my daily mantra to patients. The cost savings to our healthcare delivery system would be astounding with just a little common sense.
Dr. Dale