Injuries From Falls and Immobility

Why We Want to Prevent Falls

Between 700,000 and 1 million patients suffer a fall in U.S. hospitals each year, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Between 30 and 51 percent of falls result in an injury. Falls continue to be the most frequently reported event submitted to the state's Patient Safety Reporting System (PSRS) by hospital providers.

Falls are the most common cause of non-fatal injuries and of hospital admissions for trauma. Falls are associated with increased lengths-of-stay, increased utilization of healthcare resources and poorer health outcomes.

Elderly individuals are at a significantly increased risk for falls, injuries from falls and disability from falls. Moving in between care settings also increases risk, as individuals experience changes in level of need based on diagnoses, co-morbid conditions, response to treatment or the natural changes related to the aging process.

Providers are challenged with designing effective risk assessment mechanisms, establishing follow-up protocols, implementing policies and practices, and educating staff, patients and residents in a way that meets the needs of the communities they serve.

Success Within New Jersey Hospitals

Compared to baseline, New Jersey's hospitals have reduced falls by 43 percent, avoided 833 potential falls and saved $552,236 in unnecessary healthcare costs.

Our Goals Moving Ahead

By September 2018, each participating NJHIIN hospital will reduce falls by at least 20 percent or sustain a rate of zero.

Resources

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality Preventing Falls in Hospitals
  A Toolkit for Improving Quality of Care
• Center for Medicare and Medicaid Service's Fall Prevention Resources
• New Jersey Department of Human Services Fall Prevention Week
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Stopping Elderly Accidents Deaths and Injuries (STEADI)
• The Joint Commission Targeted Solutions Tool for Preventing Falls

NJHIIN Webinars

• Falls Prevention Collaborative: Coaching webinar for PROSPECT (Promoting Respect and Ongoing Safety through Patient Engagement, Communication, and Technology) Suite of tools – Sept. 6, 2016
• Falls Prevention Collaborative: TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Strategy Training – March 18, 2016
• Falls Prevention Collaborative: TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Coaching – July 20, 2017
• Falls Prevention Collaborative: Behavioral Health - Sept. 11, 2017
• Falls TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Collaborative: Coaching - Nov. 1, 2017
• Falls TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Collaborative: STEADI Toolkit Content - Jan. 9, 2018
• Falls TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Collaborative: Coaching - Feb. 6, 2018
• Falls TIPS (Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety) Collaborative: Coaching Call - April 5, 2018
• Falls Prevention Webinar Series, Webinar #1: Predictive Risk Factors:  Rethinking Injurious Falls Using a High Reliability Team-Based Approach, with Dr. Ann Hendrich - Jan. 21, 2020