Trauma injury numbers drop amidst stay at home orders

The human touch is essential in establishing a doctor-patient relationship, according to Dr. Abraham Verghese, best known for writing “Cutting for Stone,” a novel that has sold more than a million copies. Dr. Verghese is the keynote speaker at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine s 5th Annual Medical-Spirituality Conference on April 11 at the Sinclair Community College David H. Ponitz Center.

The human touch is essential in establishing a doctor-patient relationship, according to Dr. Abraham Verghese, best known for writing “Cutting for Stone,” a novel that has sold more than a million copies. Dr. Verghese is the keynote speaker at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine s 5th Annual Medical-Spirituality Conference on April 11 at the Sinclair Community College David H. Ponitz Center.
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By Micah Karr
April 19, 2020
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Emergency departments in the Miami Valley have never seen such low numbers of trauma injuries. Surgeons at the Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine working in the region have seen a decrease in trauma injuries as the coronavirus pandemic has spread.

Trauma surgeons from the medical school work in the trauma service at Miami Valley Hospital, a Level I trauma center, which means they typically get the worst cases of trauma patients.

“This service has dropped over 50 percent since social distancing came into being in Ohio,” said Randy Woods, M.D., associate professor and interim chair of the Department of Surgery. “Our typical inpatient census runs 55 to 70 this time of year and in the past few weeks we have been in the twenties to low thirties.”

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Woods said the drop in numbers could also be due to the closing of restaurants and bars, which reduces drunk driving cases.

“If there is a silver lining to any of this, a decrease in driving under the influence may be one such point,” Woods said. “I do not have the actual numbers to back this up right now, but this seems to be true.”

While the number of trauma cases has gone down, the amount of elderly people falling has not decreased. Elderly people, Woods said, are likely to be more at risk of falling as their support network may be minimized and family may be visiting less.

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About the Author

Micah Karr