Document Every Patient Fall

Each year, approximately 700,000 to 1 million patients in the United Stated fall in the hospital.¹ Falls can result in fractures, lacerations, internal bleeding, and even death.

Do your nursing staff members know what should be documented in a patient's medical record after a fall?

Document every fall. Documentation should include the following: date, day of the week, time, location, type of fall, assessment of the patient, how the patient was discovered, likely cause of the fall, activity at time of fall, if a staff member was present, type of footwear, ambulatory aids in use, restraint use, side rail use, alarm use, and notification of physician.² Do not include documentation that an event report was completed. 

Data show that inpatient falls or fall-related injuries have improved since the baseline period of 2019 (lower rates are better).



Visit the HSAG HQIC Quality Improvement Innovation Portal (QIIP) to view your falls data by selecting the Measure Category of Other Harms and Measure of Inpatient Falls or Fall-Related Injuries. 

*Rates are per 1,000 admissions.

Source: Claims data. The baseline time period is 01/01/2019–12/31/2019 and current time period is 01/01/2022–12/31/2022. For additional details on measure specifications, please reference the HSAG HQIC Compendium of Measures.

Patient and Family Engagement and Health Equity Tools: Created for Patients, by Patients

What to Do When You're Admitted to the Hospital—this two-page checklist covers many things patients can do to keep track of important details regarding their hospital stay and recovery. 

Why Collect REaL Data—this flyer contains frequently asked patient questions regarding why hospitals collect information on patient race, ethnicity, and language (REaL). 

Health Equity

Quickinar Series

Achieving equitable care for all patients is a key priority for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), which is reflected in the new Hospital Commitment to Health Equity Structural Measure and Social Drivers Screening Measures in the Final Rule. These short, 30-minute presentations address the many facets and criteria hospitals will need to meet for these measures and assist your hospital in advancing health equity initiatives in alignment with CMS priorities.

2nd & 4th Thursdays. Next: June 8 & 22, 2023  | 1–1:30 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT)

Care Coordination

Quickinar Series

Continue your care coordination journey for managing avoidable hospital readmissions by registering for these short, 30-minute webinars—offered monthly, with new dates coming through May 2024. Find details and recordings for past presentations on the webpage.

1st Tuesdays. Next: July 11, 2023 | 2–2:30 p.m. ET (11 a.m. PT)

Patient and Family Engagement Quickinar Series

Establishing a partnership with patients and families improves patient quality and safety—from admission to discharge. Discover how to keep patients and families at the center of care and engage staff to form an alliance with patients and families. 

1st & 3rd Thursdays. Next: June 15, 2023  | 1–1:30 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT)

Emergency Preparedness Plan (EPP) Webinars

These short, 45-minute webinars discuss key areas for a successful EPP, followed by a Q&A session. Presentations cover up-to-date information/resources and areas of focus included in a comprehensive EPP.

Hosted by HSAG, in partnership with the California Association of Health Facilities (CAHF), Arizona Coalition for Healthcare Emergency Response (AzCHER), California Hospital Association (CHA), California Long-Term Care Ombudsman, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), local health departments, the California Association of Long Term Care Medicine (CALTCM), and others.

3rd Wednesdays. Next: June 21, 2023 | 6–6:45 p.m. ET (3 p.m. PT)

References

¹National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). https://www.pressganey.com/products/clinical-excellence/national-database-nursing-quality-indicators

²CMS Hospital-Acquired Conditions. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Medicare-Fee-for-Service-Payment/HospitalAcqCond/Hospital-Acquired_Conditions

³AHRQ Preventing Falls in Hospitals. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/settings/hospital/fall-prevention/toolkit/overview.html

⁴National Library of Medicine: An Introduction to Health Literacy. https://nnlm.gov/guides/intro-health-literacy

This material was prepared by Health Services Advisory Group (HSAG), a Hospital Quality Improvement Contractor (HQIC) under contract with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Views expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the official views or policy of CMS or HHS, and any reference to a specific product or entity herein does not constitute endorsement of that product or entity by CMS or HHS. Publication No XS-HQIC-XT-06082023-01