Emerging data from over 750 hospitals indicates a growing utilization of sensor technology as an instrumental tool in reducing inpatient falls, according to a report published by Sg2, a Vizient company, on September 10. Fall-prevention sensor technologies such as alarms for beds, chairs, and toilets have been proven to minimize patient falls by an impressive 30%, as highlighted in the Sg2 study.
The study examined 30,484 instances of falls in 750 hospitals during the late 2021 to the third quarter of 2024. Patient falls are the most frequently reported harmful occurrences in hospitals. In 2023, nearly half, precisely 48% of all sentinel events reported to the Joint Commission, related to falls. The ensuing most common situation was incorrect surgeries, which accounted for 8% of all reports.
Dealing with this recurrent issue remains a complex task. Hospitalized patients, who may not be in their best condition, may be disoriented and placed in an environment that is not familiar to them. Consequently, they might feel well enough to stand up, ignoring the directions from their caregiving team to ring a call bell.
In its findings, Sg2 observed that hospitals void of fall-prevention sensor technologies experienced fall rates inflated by 20% to 30%. Facilities that made minimal investment in these sensor technologies witnessed a 10% to 20% reduction in falls on average. However, hospitals investing heavily in sensor technology reported average fall rates reduced by 20% to 30%. The researched hospitals were grouped into four quartiles according to their expenditure on fall-prevention sensor technologies. The top-spending group outspent the second quartile threefold, eight times more than the third quartile, and a staggering 20 times more than the lowest quartile.
“Hospitals adopting an integrated, data-based strategy — merging clinical best practices with bed, chair, and toilet sensors along with other sensor technologies — are better equipped to protect patients, manage reimbursements, and take the lead in safety innovation,” concluded the report. The report added that a well-executed fall prevention strategy could result in a substantial $14,600 in saved costs per 1,000 patient days.