Healthwise

I'd estimate that out of around 4,500 trauma cases that we see each year, about 700 are severe enough that the patient is admitted to the hospital. Unlike a big city hospital, we don't see many things like gunshot and stab wounds, so the most common trauma we see is from blunt-type injuries like motor vehicle accidents and falls. Things like wearing a motorcycle helmet and using a child safety seat can make a big difference.

One of the main differences between Maui and places on the Mainland is how much ocean-related trauma we see. That includes everything from "tossed by a wave" patients who hurt their neck or back, to people with propeller injuries from being hit by boats, to the occasional shark encounter. We actually work with people like ocean safety officers and hotels on education and injury prevention.