Trauma Prevention
The Trauma Center at Reading Hospital treats more than 2,700 adult and pediatric patients annually. The majority of these patients suffered critical injuries resulting from serious falls, motor vehicle crashes, and violent encounters. While some injuries are truly accidents and cannot be avoided, many injuries can be prevented.
What is the Trauma Injury Prevention & Outreach Program?
The Trauma Injury Prevention and Outreach Program applies evidence-based approaches to reduce and prevent injuries to children and adults. We use partnerships and work in collaboration with community and public safety agencies in an effort to share expertise and advocate for policies to help prevent injuries. Our initiatives include prevention through various educational programs and clinics, and outreach through publications, presentations, and events.
Our Mission
As part of the Reading Hospital's Trauma Center program, our goal is to identify and reduce the causes of unintentional, preventable traumatic injuries and death in our community.
We are dedicated to creating a healthier and safer community through outreach and education by building sustainable injury prevention programs in collaboration with our health system and community partners.
Prevention Initiatives
- Bicycle and Helmet Safety
- Car Seat/Child Passenger Safety
- Senior Fall Prevention
- Teens and Impaired/Distracted Driving
- Violence Prevention
- Concussion Awareness
- Pedestrian Safety
- Vehicle and Seatbelt Safety
- Fire and Burn Safety
Volunteer Opportunities
We are always looking for individuals who are interested in assisting with our trauma education programs and outreach. If you have a special passion for injury prevention, or need hours towards an advanced clinical certification, please contact us. We are looking for medical professionals who have a desire to learn and teach others.
Instructor workshops for our fall prevention program and our car seat program will be held based on class size minimums at times and locations to be determined.
Injury Prevention Tips
Learn more about how to prevent trauma and injury with the sites and resources below.
Child & Teen Safety
Road, Vehicle & Driving Safety
Senior Driving
Work & Leisure Safety
Violence Prevention
Injury Prevention Programs
Resources & Links
The following list of helpful links posted below are community and professional resources that are intended to be informational only.
Reading Hospital's Trauma Center is not responsible for the information at the linked sites and do not endorse any products or services found there.
Additional Resources
- A Matter of Balance – This national, evidence-based program is designed to reduce the fear of falling and increase activity levels of older adults. This eight-week course is sponsored by the Trauma Center in collaboration with Reading Hospital Rehabilitation at Wyomissing and Berks Encore.
- Yellow Dot Program – Pennsylvania's Yellow Dot Program was created to assist citizens in the "golden hour" of emergency care following a traffic crash when they may not be able to communicate themselves. Placing a yellow dot in your vehicle's rear window alerts first responders to check your glove compartment for vital information to ensure that you receive the critical medical attention you need.
