592 Medwatch: A Public Service Media Outlet Promoting Burn Prevention and Survivor Awareness

Abstract

Abstract Introduction The American Burn Association estimates 486,000 burn injuries occur each year. Inability to receive specialized treatment from a verified burn center can negatively impact long term outcomes and survival rates for burn survivors. The burn team has a multidisciplinary approach to meeting the physical and emotional needs of burn patients and their families. Ongoing education and outreach programs are key elements in preventing fire tragedies. We identified an opportunity to incorporate burn and fire prevention education as well as burn survivor testimonies into a pre-existing media platform. Methods We identified burn injury trends, at an American Burn Associated Verified Burn Center, via the burn registry and determined the most common etiologies of injuries treated at our center. We utilized an established relationship with burn prevention community partners, our hospitals communication department, and local news station. Our aftercare and burn prevention coordinator partnered with these established relationships to produce 10-minute television segments on burn and fire safety topics. The interactive television sessions were aired during the local news. Within each segment, viewers were provided with safety tips, preventative strategies, and/or burn survivor testimony. Results 30 news segments over the past 3 years have been produced reaching an average of 58,000 people per year spanning 7 local counties. This health and wellness tool has provided education regarding pet fire safety, scald/contact burn prevention, outdoor/BBQ burn/fire prevention, car fire safety, honey oil explosion education, and holiday burn prevention. We have also had segments focusing on smoke alarm awareness/education and home/fire escape planning to make our communities safer. We have been able to promote our successful aftercare programs by highlighting our support groups, burn survivor activities, and grateful patient stories sharing burn survivor testimony. Conclusions We identified burn prevention topics as well as grateful patients to spread awareness of burns within our community. We partnered with the hospital communications department and local news stations to produce directed educational television segments. These segments were designed to educate the community as well as highlight our successful multidisciplinary approach to managing burn patients. This media platform is one component of our burn centers ongoing burn prevention and outreach program.