EMS & Injury Prevention System Branch

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

 NEIL ABERCROMBIE
GOVERNOR

 GARY GILL
ACTING DIRECTOR

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jan. 17, 2014

 

Hawaii Receives “A” Grade for Public Health and Injury Prevention from American College of Emergency Physicians

HONOLULU — Hawaii has received an “A” grade for Public Health and Injury Prevention in the 2014 American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) Report Card for America’s Emergency Care Environment. The report card also ranked Hawaii second in the nation for injury prevention. The overall letter grade awarded for the nation in the same area of public health and injury prevention was a “C.”

“The Department of Health is very proud of Hawaii’s A grade for public health and injury prevention; however, there is still a lot of work to be done,” said Dr. Linda Rosen, chief of the EMS System and Injury Prevention. “The report card reflects the state’s early and very wise investment in strong injury prevention policies such as car seatbelt and firearm laws that have resulted in lower injury rates.”

Dr. Rosen added: “There is continued support for injury prevention with the commitment of trauma special and general funds that will help to ensure progress toward reducing and preventing injuries. Through policy change, education, and mobilizing partnerships and communities, Hawaii has been successful in reducing traffic-related fatalities. This same approach is being applied to other emerging areas such as falls among older adults and poisoning prevention.” 

Hawaii also ranks above average nationally among all of the categories combined, earning the 24^th spot on the list in the five areas of: access to emergency care, quality and patient safety environment, medical liability environment, public health and injury prevention and disaster preparedness.

Hawaii made significant improvements in the area of quality and patient safety environment, receiving a “B-“in 2014, compared to a “D+” in 2009. The report noted that these improvements reflect the state’s strong commitment to quality care and system oversight. Hawaii has a uniform system for providing pre-arrival instructions, a statewide trauma registry, and funds a state EMS medical director. To view the state-specific report on Hawaii, go to https://www.emreportcard.org/Hawaii/.

Among Hawaii residents of all ages, injury is the fourth leading cause of death and disability. The Department of Health Injury Prevention Program focuses on the areas of: drowning prevention, fall prevention, poisoning prevention, suicide prevention, traffic safety, and violence and abuse prevention. For more information on each of these areas go to https://health.hawaii.gov/injuryprevention/

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Media Contact:

Linda Rosen, M.D., MPH

Chief, EMS and Injury Prevention System Branch

(808) 733-8329

[email protected]