Healthcare Quality News

According to a report by Minnesota Department of Health (MDH), the number of Patient falls resulting in serious disability or death decreased by 20 percent, with no patient deaths from falls during the reporting year. The report examined the number of adverse events in Minnesota hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers and community behavioral health hospitals.

The 20 percent decrease in falls likely reflects a recent initiative to prevent injuries and deaths from falls. Over the past two years, more than 100 hospitals have participated in the Minnesota Hospital Association's (MHA) "Safe from Falls" campaign. Since the campaign began in May 2007, participating hospitals have increased the average rate of implementing best practices for preventing falls from less than 60 percent to more than 90 percent. For some best practices, including establishing an interdisciplinary falls prevention team and a system to alert staff about patient risk, the implementation rate is nearly 100 percent.

(SOURCES: Minnesota Department of Health News Release, http://health.state.mn.us, January 14, 2010; Advisory Board Daily Briefing, http://advisory.com, January 15, 2010)