Patient Fall Risk: An Increasing Concern for Hospitals

When it comes to patient safety, the prevention of unnecessary harm to the patient is of the utmost importance for all medical facilities. Of all sentinel events, falls are by far the most common healthcare occurrence with between 700,000 and 1 million falls occurring in U.S. hospitals each year. Of these falls, an estimated 250,000 result in injury to the patient while 11,000 falls result in patient death. 

On average, falls resulting in injuries extend the length of the hospital stay by 6.3 days and costs the facility $14,000 per fall. In 2021, the number of falls reported to The Joint Commission was 485 whereas the second most commonly-occurring sentinel event, delay in treatment, resulted in only 97 occurrences. It is important to note that these 485 falls represent only what has been reported to The Joint Commission and, as a result, are not indicative of the total overall number of falls occurring in U.S. healthcare facilities.  

As falls continue to be a major concern for healthcare facilities, introducing fall-prevention strategies is a critical initiative to optimize patient care and improve clinical outcomes. Healthcare companies, such as Rauland, are responding to this need with technology systems geared towards improving patient safety and reducing the likelihood of sentinel events. 

Rauland’s Responder Enterprise nurse call system works to reduce patient fall risk by offering a complete communication solution for healthcare facilities. Work stations work seamlessly with in-room screens, mobile devices, and real-time location systems, allowing optimal patient-staff communication wherever the staff or patient may be. 

With Responder Enterprise smart bed integration, staff receive an instant phone notification whenever the patient tries to get up and can then send a direct response back to the patient telling them to wait for assistance before leaving their bed. Bathroom terminals are equipped with a convenient “Back to Bed” button that notifies staff when patients are finished and ready for transportation assistance. This solution allows for patient privacy while ensuring they have a direct line of communication when assistance is needed. 

While hospital falls are on the rise, this number can significantly be reduced by implementing advanced communication technologies into the healthcare space. Rauland Responder Enterprise solutions are constantly evolving to respond to staff and patient needs in order to optimize patient care. 

For more information on how Rauland Responder Enterprise can help reduce falls in your facility, contact our Clinical Application Specialist Sheri Nater at snater@communication-co.com.