With the arrival of the Victoria Day long weekend comes the start of the summer increase in trauma patients at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC).
The head of the hospital's trauma program states that between May and September the number of seriously injured people coming to the emergency department is its highest. Between that quarter last year, the hospital's trauma program cared for more than 560 people who had been seriously hurt.
"From 2022 to 2023, we saw a 16 per cent increase in the number of traumas we saw year-over-year during that four month time period," said Dr. Kelly Vogt, the LHSC's medical director of trauma. "We typically see an increase in our severely injured trauma patients and that was even higher last year. For us that means people who have injured more than one part of their body. We tend to see more traumatic brain injuries in the summer. We also see more orthopedic injuries that require surgery for fixing and injuries to the abdomen."
She added that while some of the uptick is related to the city's growing population, it doesn't account for all of it.
"This is more than we would have expected from that alone," said Vogt. "There are some decision making errors we are seeing and the most notable one is, surprisingly, related to less seatbelt use. We are seeing more people injured in crashes where they aren't wearing their seatbelts or they aren't wearing their seatbelts properly."
The summer also brings a predictable increase in risky behaviour such as reckless driving and water-based recreational activities.
Vogt stressed that the best way to stay safe over the summer months is to limit alcohol and obey the law.
"Follow all the rules. Wear your seatbelt and wear it properly. Engage in activities with a clear mind and can make smart decisions. Ensure that you are staying well within regulations - don't speed excessively and don't be distracted while driving your vehicle," said Vogt. "Be around people who can be good resources for you in decision making and also good resources in the event something does go wrong... These are the most modifiable factors."
