Altru Health System Wins Outstanding U.S. Lead Agency Award at International Gathering of Safety Professionals

Altru Health System Recognized for Work to Protect Kids from Preventable Injuries,
Number One Cause of Death to Children in the U.S.

Grand Forks, N.D. – Altru Health System was named Outstanding U.S. Lead Agency today at the Safe Kids Worldwide International Childhood Injury Prevention Convention (PrevCon) for their outstanding work in preventing childhood injuries in their community. Altru Health System joined more than 500 safety professionals from the U.S. and countries around the world at the three-day convention to collaborate on efforts to enhance the safety of children on the road, at home, and at play.

Altru Health System serves as the lead agency for Safe Kids Grand Forks, a childhood injury coalition that has been in existence since 1992 and covers northeast North Dakota and northwest Minnesota. Mentioned at the ceremony in which the award was presented was the help and support that Altru Health System gave to help establish two new coalitions in the state of North Dakota. Previously, there were coalitions in Grand Forks and Fargo-Moorhead, led by Sanford Health. These long-term and existing coalitions worked hard to sell the concept of an injury prevention coalition and help establish them in both Bismarck-Mandan and Minot. This past year, coalitions were formed in those communities and have helped to provide injury prevention expertise and resources to the mid and western part of our state.

"Altru Health System is a dynamic force, a recognized leader within Safe Kids, and an inspiration to our entire network,” said Torine Creppy, president of Safe Kids Worldwide. “Too many kids do not have a chance to reach their full potential because of an injury that is preventable. Altru Health System and Safe Kids Grand Forks’ passion and commitment are making a difference in their community and beyond as we work together to reach more families, prevent more injuries and save more lives.”

“Altru is honored to be the lead agency for Safe Kids Grand Forks and share this achievement with Safe Kids while reflecting on the progress that has been made to prevent injury and death in children,” said Brad Wehe, CEO of Altru Health System. “In partnership with Safe Kids, Altru is committed to enhancing the safety of the children in our community and region.”

Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Throughout the world, almost one million children die of an injury each year, and almost every one of these tragedies is preventable.

About Safe Kids Grand Forks

Safe Kids Grand Forks works to prevent unintentional childhood injury, the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids Grand Forks is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing unintentional injury. Safe Kids Grand Forks was founded in 1992 and has been led by Altru Health System since it was started. For more information, visit safekids.org or safekidsgf.com.

About Altru Health System

Based in Grand Forks, North Dakota, Altru Health System is a regional, integrated healthcare delivery system serving northeastern North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. Altru is a physician-led, multispecialty group practice with a 277-bed acute care hospital, Level II trauma center, 45-bed specialty hospital, more than two dozen Grand Forks and regional practice locations, and a large home care network. Altru employs over 300 physicians and advanced practice providers and 4,000 staff. With a focus on advanced technology, Altru deployed the first Mako® Robotic Arm system in North Dakota and enhanced Altru’s Robotics with the recent addition of the DaVinci Xi Robotic Surgical System. In 2018, Altru was awarded fourth Most Wired® in the nation, a recognition for systems at the forefront of using healthcare information technology to improve the delivery of care. Altru Health System has received accreditation from the Joint Commission, the premier health care quality improvement and accrediting body in the nation, and has achieved 50 years of CARF accreditation at Altru’s Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital. Altru Health System was the first member of the Mayo Clinic Care Network, extending Mayo Clinic knowledge and expertise to the patients we serve. For more information, visit altru.org.