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Fall prevention initiative: A fall screening and intervention pilot study on the ambulatory setting
Susan Kartiko1, Elan Jeremitsky, Michael W Cripps
1From the Division of Trauma/ Critical Care, Department of Surgery (I.K., C.T.M.), University of Massachusetts-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts; Department of Surgery (E.Je.), Forbes Regional Medical Center, Monroeville, Pennsylvania; Division of Burn/ Trauma/Critical Care, Department of Surgery (M.W.C.), University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; and Department of Rehabilitation Services (E.Ja.), University of Massachusetts-Baystate Medical Center, Springfield, Massachusetts.
Provider-directed screening effectively identifies older adults at risk for falls. Referral to a physical therapy program significantly improves fall risk scores, enhancing patient safety.
Area of Science:
- Geriatric Medicine
- Preventive Healthcare
- Physical Therapy
Background:
- Falls are the leading cause of trauma in the elderly.
- A fall prevention screening initiative was implemented in an ambulatory care setting.
- The screening used three questions from the Stopping Elderly Accidents, Death and Injuries (STEADI) toolkit.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify geriatric patients at risk for falling.
- To refer at-risk patients to a physical therapy program.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the physical therapy program in reducing fall risk.
Main Methods:
- Patients aged 55 and older were screened using the STEADI toolkit.
- Individuals answering "yes" to any question were referred to the Fall Prevention Initiative Physical Therapy Program (FPIPTP).
- The FPIPTP utilized the Time Up and Go (TUG) test to quantify fall risk and guide physical therapy interventions.
Main Results:
- 112 patients (median age 76.5 years) were identified as high fall-risk.
- Initial median TUG scores were 15.85 seconds, indicating a high fall risk.
- Post-intervention, median TUG scores significantly improved to 12 seconds (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
- The STEADI toolkit effectively identifies older adults at risk for falls.
- The FPIPTP significantly improves TUG scores, indicating reduced fall risk.
- Further research with larger populations is recommended to confirm these findings.
