When One Fall is Too Many

Patient Falls are a sensitive subject to deal with in a hospital for many reasons. As one of the highlighted “never-events” that medicare will not reimburse, the “quality control” of the organizations processes and measurements become increasingly more important. Clinical Transformation of the processes and interactions with technology become crucial, but are they enough?

While evaluating patient falls, programs and seeking possible solutions, I began to dissect the issue from different perspectives. At the patient level is dealing with additional injury, upset family members, and increased length of stay. All of which leads to emotional frustration, anger, or what people in the industry term as “Patient Dissatisfaction”. This is compounded for the hospital by non-reimbursed cost for care, possible litigation, and publication of data which leads to the stigma of being labeled “unsafe”. In addition there is the emotional factor for the providers who desire to make people well.

Hospitals implement programs, purchase expensive beds, and work with patients. All of these in hope of reducing the probability of the fall. So how does a hospital balance response to this critical issue with mounting costs of care?

At Sphere3 we empower caregivers with technology, process, and measurement. What we have found are ways to improve process, use technology integration to support an enhanced process, and document the results with reporting metrics.

However, the answer to this issue lies deeper then technology and process. The desired solution can only be realized when technology is supported by the attitude and fervent belief which is communicated down from leadership all the way to the janitor that One Fall is Too Many.
Sometimes in technology we categorize in black and white. We are sucked into the mindset that everything is an “If, Then” statement. Reality is that your incident #2 from July has a name and a life. Linking that name and life to a fall reduction initiative is enormously valuable. That individual can and will become the symbol for your program – the story becomes the battle cry. The technology and process become more essential and less routine. Human nature identifies personally with a story or a memory. Why was Alex’s Lemonade Stand so successful? While giving to cancer is a noble cause, Alex gave childhood cancer a face, a name, and a story. She inspired millions to contribute.

We encourage your team to find your story, internalize the process, compliment with technology and work to solve the problem.

When One Fall is too many, you can count on Sphere3 to support your cause.

We reduce Falls – Guaranteed.

Thanks to the story from: http://www.alexslemonade.org/newsroom/heroes