Patient falls are the most common adverse events reported in hospitals. Reports indicate that each year approximately 700,000 to 1 million patient falls occur in U.S. hospitals. These falls are reported to result in 250,000 injuries and up to 11,000 deaths. About 25% of all falls result in injury, while 10% of falls result in serious injuries to patients. In 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stopped reimbursing hospitals for fall-related injuries.
Hospitals should have in place policies and procedures to address patient fall risk, fall-prevention mechanisms, and injury-prevention mechanisms. All hospitals must identify patients at risk for falls, implement strategies to prevent falls, and use devices to reduce injuries from falls.
Hospitals must also recognize that certain medications and medical conditions place patients at greater risk for falls. Hospital staff must be trained on the hospital's fall and injury-prevention policies and procedures. In addition, hospitals must have sufficient staff to properly monitor and supervise patients who are at high risk for falls.
If you or a loved one sustained serious injuries or died as a result of a hospital fall, click on the "Confidential Case Submission" link below.