Patient Falls Annually Cost Hospitals over $6,500 per Bed
In 2015, when the Joint Commission published Sentinel Alert 55 focusing on fall prevention, falls occurred 7.6 per 1000 hospital patient stays. Today, the rate remains the same. As further reported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality within the US Department of Health and Human Services:
Adding to the cost are litigation and hospital readmission costs, for falls are one of the three top events resulting in hospital litigation and a primary cause of hospital 30-day re-admissions.
At KnowFalls we expect fall rates to rise as seniors, over the next ten years become the primary hospital patient. Our goal is to reduce falls through the application of artificial intelligence.
- Patient Falls/Year: 800,000 to 1,000,000
- Hospital cost per fall: $6,700 (excluding litigation)
Adding to the cost are litigation and hospital readmission costs, for falls are one of the three top events resulting in hospital litigation and a primary cause of hospital 30-day re-admissions.
At KnowFalls we expect fall rates to rise as seniors, over the next ten years become the primary hospital patient. Our goal is to reduce falls through the application of artificial intelligence.
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The Cause
Causes are often age-related: sensory impairment, chronic health conditions, unstable gait, altered mental status, and high risk medications.
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The Challenge
Seniors fall at a rate 28% higher than others and over the next 10 years will account for 55% of hospital stays - while hospitals experience a nursing shortage.
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The Solution
With bed exits unpredictable, visual monitoring is becoming the norm. The traditional solutions are in-room sitters and centralized patient monitoring and now AI fall prediction.
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In-Room Sitters Are Not A Proven Solution
For an average 4.5 day hospital stay, the sitter cost can exceed $1,700. As noted in the Journal of Nursing Education and Practice...Use of in-room sitters to prevent a patient’s fall or injury is widespread. expensive, seldom reimbursed, controversial in the literature, and not supported by a strong body of evidence.
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KnowFalls VPO
Replace Sitters 
The KnowFalls Virtual Patient Observation and Engagement System (VPO) is less costly than a Room Sitter for a virtual patient observer can monitor up to 14 fall-risk patients - a personnel savings of over 85%. The virtual patient observer can be located at the nursing station or within a central virtual patient monitoring center.
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KnowFalls AII
Predicts Falls 
The Artificial Intelligence based Fall Prevention System reduces falls by predicting a patient's bed exit attempt. After confirming the alert, the patient observer engages the patient or has the attending nurse/CNA intervene.
The AI-based System provides early alert notification and more time for intervention. |