A hospital system approach at decreasing falls with injuries and cost

Falls and fall-related injuries continue to challenge every health care organization. Falls are a nurse-sensitive quality outcome. Patient falls are a leading cause of injuries in hospitals, considered to be among the most expensive adverse event, and continue to be a patient safety concern. Researchers analyzed the impact of a standardized fall prevention program across 50 acute care hospitals in 11 states. The implementation of a standardized multifactorial program for adult patients appears to have reduced falls with injuries by 58.3% over a 2-year period, allowing for a potential cost avoidance reduction of $776,064 in 2013 dollars.