Preventing Patient Falls: Essentia Health

43,750: That's the number of fall injuries the CMS Partnership for Patients campaign estimates would be prevented over three years if hospitals cut preventable fall injuries by 50% in 2013. Essentia Health in Fargo, N.D., aims to decrease preventable falls in its cardiac telemetry unit by 25% by the end of 2012 and by 50% by June 30, 2013. Staff have tested and implemented multiple interventions including intentional rounding, teach-back on the use of the call light, and post-fall huddles. In addition, the fall risk level is systematically recorded—written with colored markers on white boards in the unit and included in every shift report. As a result, from January to September 2012, the unit's fall rate decreased from 7 falls per 1,000 patient days to 2.4 per 1,000 patient days. Essentia Health is part of the North Dakota Health Engagement Network (HEN), working in partnership with the AHA/HRET HEN and CMS to support the PfP campaign.
For more information, contact Bev Ranstrom, North Dakota HEN project manager, at branstrom@ndhcri.org.