• Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Prevention of falls (acute care). Health care protocol. Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2008 Mar. 26 p. [37 references]

Does not apply to this measure

This measure is used to assess the rate of inpatient falls per 1,000 patient days.

The priority aim addressed by this measure is to eliminate all falls with injury in the acute care setting.

Acute care; falls; prevention

1,000 patient days

Total number of inpatient falls within 1,000 patient days

• A clinical practice guideline or other peer-reviewed synthesis of the clinical evidence

Unspecified

Current routine use

Internal quality improvement

Hospitals

Advanced Practice Nurses
Nurses
Physicians

Single Health Care Delivery Organizations

Adults

Either male or female

Unspecified

Current data on fall rates in acute care hospitals are far from complete. Massachusetts recently publicly reported average rates of 3.57 falls/1,000 patient days in hospitals of 200-299 beds, and 4.76 falls/1,000 patient days in hospitals over 500 beds. Injuries from falls were 0.96/1,000 patient days and 0.64/1,000 patient days, respectively, on medical units.

The National Health Service of the United Kingdom reports an average fall rate of 4.8 falls/1,000 patient days nationwide.

• Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Prevention of falls (acute care). Health care protocol. Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2008 Mar. 26 p. [37 references]

Unspecified

Falls are a leading cause of hospital-acquired injury, and frequently prolong or complicate hospital stays. Falls are the most common adverse event reported in hospitals.

See also the "Incidence/Prevalence" field.

• Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Prevention of falls (acute care). Health care protocol. Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2008 Mar. 26 p. [37 references]

Unspecified

Unspecified

Staying Healthy

Effectiveness
Safety

Users of care only

All adult hospitalized patients

Measurement period is monthly. Data will be submitted within one month following collection period.

Patients associated with provider

Inclusions
1,000 patient days

Exclusions
Unspecified

All cases in the denominator are equally eligible to appear in the numerator

Institutionalization

Time window brackets index event

Inclusions
Total number of inpatient falls within 1,000 patient days

Exclusions
Unspecified

The measure results are somewhat or substantially under the control of the health care professionals, organizations and/or policymakers to whom the measure applies.

Fixed time period

Medical record

Not Individual Case

Adverse Outcome

Unspecified

Rate

Better quality is associated with a lower score

Unspecified

Internal time comparison

Unspecified

Fall prevalence: rate of inpatient falls per 1,000 patient days.

Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement

The following Minnesota health plans provide direct financial support: Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, HealthPartners, Medica, Metropolitan Health Plan, PreferredOne and UCare Minnesota. In-kind support is provided by the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement's (ICSI) members.

Work Group Members: John Degelau, MD (Work Group Leader) (HealthPartners Medical Group and Regions Hospital) (Hospitalist/Geriatrician); John Batsis, MD (Mayo Clinic) (Internal Medicine/Geriatrics); Norman Egger, MD (Mayo Clinic) (Internal Medicine/Geriatrics); Rewati Teeparti, MD (HealthPartners Medical Group and Regions Hospital) (Hospitalist/Geriatrician); Penny Louise Flavin, C-FNP (Olmsted Medical Center) (Nurse Practitioner); Sharon Ferguson, APRN-BC (HealthEast Care System) (Nursing); Niloufar Hadidi, APRN-BC (Fairview Health Services) (Nursing); Carolyn Larsen, PT (Sanford Health) (Physical Therapist); Teresa Hunteman, RRT, CPHQ (Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement) (Measurement/Implementation Advisor); Linda Setterlund, MA, CPHQ (Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement) (Facilitator)

ICSI has adopted a policy of transparency, disclosing potential conflict and competing interests of all individuals that participate in the development, revision and approval of ICSI documents (guidelines, order sets and protocols). This applies to all work groups (guidelines, order sets and protocols) and committees (Committee on Evidence-Based Practice, Cardiovascular Steering Committee, Women's Health Steering Committee, Preventive & Health Maintenance Steering Committee, Respiratory Steering Committee and the Patient Safety & Reliability Steering Committee).

Participants must disclose any potential conflict and competing interests they or their dependents (spouse, dependent children, or others claimed as dependents) may have with any organization with commercial, proprietary, or political interests relevant to the topics covered by ICSI documents. Such disclosures will be shared with all individuals who prepare, review and approve ICSI documents.

No work group members have potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Measure was not adapted from another source.

2008 Mar

This is the current release of the measure.

• Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI). Prevention of falls (acute care). Health care protocol. Bloomington (MN): Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI); 2008 Mar. 26 p. [37 references]

This NQMC summary was completed by ECRI Institute on June 5, 2009.

This NQMC summary (abstracted Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement [ICSI] Measure) is based on the original measure, which is subject to the measure developer's copyright restrictions.

The abstracted ICSI Measures contained in this Web site may be downloaded by any individual or organization. If the abstracted ICSI Measures are downloaded by an individual, the individual may not distribute copies to third parties.

If the abstracted ICSI Measures are downloaded by an organization, copies may be distributed to the organization's employees but may not be distributed outside of the organization without the prior written consent of the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, Inc.

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