Physical and Occupational Therapy Practice Improvement Following Interprofessional Evidence-Based Falls Prevention...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Rehabilitation Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Falls are a major health concern for community-dwelling older adults.
• Effective fall prevention strategies are crucial for maintaining independence and quality of life.
• Interprofessional collaboration in healthcare settings can enhance patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate practice changes in physical therapy (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) after interprofessional training on evidence-based practice (EBP) for fall prevention.
• To assess the impact of EBP modules on the use of specific fall risk assessments and interventions for older adults.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of medical records from post-fall patients across three Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) sites.
• Comparison of PT and OT documentation of fall assessments and interventions before and after EBP training.

Main Results:

• PT showed significant improvements in risk assessments (34.6%) in year 1.
• PT demonstrated increased EBP intervention implementation (66.7%) in year 2, while OT improved (22.2%) in year 2.
• OT increased home modification execution (6.8%) and PT improved intervention implementation (23.3%) in year 3.

Conclusions:

• EBP training modules effectively led to practice changes in PT and OT for fall prevention.
• The training improved adherence to established guidelines for managing fall risks in older adults.
• Interprofessional EBP training is a viable strategy to enhance geriatric fall prevention programs.