Falls risk assessment, multitargeted interventions and the impact on hospital falls

There is an urgent need for inquiry to validate existing scales in the accurate assessment of falls risk. Moreover, where fall prevention projects have targeted specific risk factors of falling, such as cognitive impairment, few have measured the impact of their intervention on fall outcomes. A comparative design compared and described differences in falls data within and between two study cohorts before and after a multitargeted intervention was introduced. A cut-off score of > or = 50 using the Morse Scale was a good baseline indicator for accurate identification of fall risk and outcomes verify that the modified Morse Falls Scale, in combination with other risk factors, more accurately profiled fall risk among this population. Fall incidence among the intervention cohort did not increase significantly despite a rise in the number of hospital admissions and a significantly higher reported fall risk potential.