A system to detect fall occurrence and location in hospital settings

Fall detectionassessmentand prevention is a challenging issue across the care continuumDespite wide recognition as a considerable problemfall related injuries are still the most frequently reported adverse events in hospital inpatient settingswithof patients falling at least once during their stayAccording to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality reportstoof falls result in injuryIn the United States alonethe number of inpatient falls exceedsmillion per yearwith elderly individuals being the most vulnerableAs a testament to its importancefall research was listed as a top priority in the Institute of Medicineandapos s report to Congress on national prioritiesDiverse factors contribute to fallsincluding patient factorse gcognitive statemuscle weaknessmedicationsenvironmental factorse gbed toilet positioningtrip hazardsand institutional factorse gpoor responsiveness to call bells or bed chair alarmsinadequate fall prevention measuresAlthough hospitals employ diverse programs to prevent falls and fall injuriesan essential component to a fall prevention program is accurate determination of fall eventsas many falls are \unseenandquotand unreportedThe body worn FallCall systemproposed hereinwill leverage powerful sensing capabilities to provide robust fall detection and to report fall locations without bothersome false alarmsThe FallCall body worn instrument will embody a reusable miniature electronics package that is encapsulated in a disposablehypoallergenic adhesive patchThe patch can be placed anywhere on the torso to minimize interaction with other medical equipment or injury sitesThe system will continuously monitor patients and issue a timely alert if a fall is detectedminimizing patient time on the groundas well as injury assessment and treatment latenciesThe FallCall system will also allow patient location to be determinedincluding the room and oor of the hospitalusing a redundant wireless mesh networkThe instrument will be powered by a miniature rechargeable battery that will last for at least one weekThe FallCall system will also have the capability to issue wander and inactivity alertsAdditionallythe system can use its internal sensors to track measures of stabilityproviding objective data that may o er improved predictive value in identifying individuals at risk for falling and tracking fall risk longitudinallyThe proposed system will represent one of the rst ways to objectively measure the response time of clinical sta when a fall occursand will be a key component in evaluating and improving fall prevention programs The FallCall system will detect fall events and issue timely alertsincluding fall locationwhen such events occurin addition to providing stability and activity metrics to help ascertain an individualandapos s fall risk and changes theretoUse of the FallCall system will minimize response latency and \time on the groundandquotafter a fall eventand provide objective measures of sta response timeFall determination with high sensitivity and speci city is an essential component of e ective fall assessment and prevention programsThe proposed tool will find a ready marketas the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare OrganizationsJCAHOrequires health care organizations seeking accreditation to routinely assess and reassess each patientandapos s risk for fallingand to take action to reduce the risk of fallingFurthermoreMedicare policy limits andin some casesprohibits reimbursement to institutions for the treatment of avoidable hospital acquired conditionsincluding falls and fall related traumaThese policy changes represent signi cant market pull and will accelerate the adoption of the FallCall instrument