Expert Trauma Care at Desert Regional Medical Center

Desert Care Network’s Desert Regional Medical Center is the only Level II, designated Trauma Center in the Coachella Valley. Trauma and surgical critical care surgeons are available 24 hours a day for your life-threatening emergency care needs. The center serves an area from Banning and Beaumont to the West, Imperial County to the South, the Arizona border to the East, and Twentynine Palms and the high desert to the North.

Protect Yourself from the Most Common Traumatic Injuries

• Car Crashes
• Everyone in the vehicle should be properly restrained
• Distracted driving….no texting while driving! Use a hands-free phone.
• Don’t “drive under the influence!” Have a designated driver, call a friend to pick you up or go by taxi, ride-share, etc.
• “Driving under the influence” includes some prescription medications such as narcotics and benzodiazepines such as valium and Xanax.
• Drink responsibly!
• Automobile vs Pedestrians
• As of 2018, Riverside County ranks 7th in the U.S. for the number of pedestrian fatalities, right behind the likes of San Diego, Miami-Dade and Los Angeles counties. (NHTSA, 2018). Our fatality rates have been steadily increasing each year, with a 13.8% increase between 2017 – 2018.
• There are simple things you can do to make yourself safe while walking
• Cross the street at designated crosswalks and intersections
• Watch for turning vehicles; look left, look right and look left again
• Use pedestrian buttons when crossing the street for extra time to cross
• Stay visible day and night! Wear brightly-colored clothing and reflective gear
• Watch out for vehicles backing out of parking spaces and driveways
• Falls
• One in four Americans, aged 65 and older, will fall each year
• 90% of falls treated in the Emergency Department at Desert Regional Medical Center are admitted to the hospital with traumatic injuries
• How do you know if you are at risk?
• Have you fallen one or more times?
• Do you have difficulty walking or feelings of weakness and imbalance?
• Do you take blood pressure or pain medications?
• If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you are at risk to experience a life-changing fall
• What can you do to decrease your fall risk?
• Manage existing health conditions and be sure to schedule regular check-ups (including your vision)
• Perform a home safety check for area rugs, a safety bar in the shower, in-house pets, proper lighting, etc.
• Talk with your doctor or a pharmacist about your medications, asking which ones make you a higher fall risk.
• Consider taking strength, endurance and balance classes that are available in the community. (More details to follow once we are allowed to gather in groups after the pandemic.)

Interested in Bringing Trauma Education to Your Community?

Contact our Community Coordinator for general trauma/injury prevention education and specialized hands-on classes like Stop the Bleed.

Gael Whetstone BSN RN
Trauma Injury Prevention & Community Outreach Coordinator
Desert Regional Medical Center
1150 N Indian Canyon Drive
Palm Springs, CA 92262
Office: 760-323-6140
Email gael.whetstone@tenenthealth.com