Background A vital condition for the recommendation of rules for efficient accident prevention is an exact analysis of the circumstances in order to be able to identify the parameters involved. Only then it is possible to draw efficient conclusions for accident prevention in a Safe Community.

Aims/Objectives/Purpose A hospital injury data base is fundamental to lay grass roots in local and community based injury prevention work. Therefor is necessary to identify workable processes collecting detailed data and to develop a data set which is match able to the hospital documentation system.

Methods To show the injury rate, the place and circumstances of the accidents an additional multilevel data set was developed and integrated in the medical documentation system of the hospital. To introduce such injury surveillance system it is fundamental to convince the doctors in the hospital and the parents that such few minutes spent on collecting accident data could be very helpful for their neighbours in the same living area to avoid accidents.

Results/Outcome With our hospital based injury surveillance system we are able to identify local problem areas and this just in time. So specific preventive measures can be taken and intervention programmes developed.

An enlargement of this data surveillance system beyond the juvenile age will cover problems of all age groups and lead to a significant reduction of injured people caused by accidents in a specific region.

Significance/Contribution to the Field The analysis of accidents in a local hospital is very important to identify dangerous sites and risky areas at a community level. Together with an efficient network of experts the data can be analysed and countermeasures can be taken in action immediately. It is a service of a health promoting hospital with local effect immediately and noticeable.