Falls in the acute hospital setting--impact on resource utilisation.

Aust Health Rev

Public Health Division, National Ageing Research Institute, PO Box 31, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3429, Australia.

Published: August 2007

Objective: To determine the resource utilisation of patients who fall within an acute metropolitan hospital.

Design: Retrospective observational study, part of a larger falls prevention project in a 323-bed acute care, tertiary teaching hospital in Melbourne, Australia. A review of falls incidents was undertaken for all patient admissions for 18 months from January 2002, excluding the Day Procedure Unit, Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit and the Emergency Department.

Procedure: The most common diagnosis related groups (DRGs) associated with fallers were identified, and within each DRG, fallers were matched to non-fallers by age and gender. Difference in hospital length of stay (LOS) and disparity in resource consumption by these two groups were calculated.

Results: The DRG with the highest proportion of fallers was "Dementia and other chronic disturbances of cerebral function" (24%). Three of the top six DRGs had significantly longer LOS for fallers compared with non-fallers ("Delirium", "Stroke" and "Respiratory conditions") (P<0.05). Hospital-related costs were significantly higher for fallers compared with non-fallers for the DRG "Stroke with severe/complicating diagnosis/procedure" only (P<0.05).

Conclusions: Inpatient LOS and total associated costs for patients who fell and were classified among the DRGs with the highest proportion of fallers were substantially higher than those of matched non-fallers. Effective falls prevention activities targeting these high-risk groups should be a priority, in the context of broader falls prevention activities within a hospital setting.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ah070471DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

resource utilisation
8
care unit
8
falls acute
4
acute hospital
4
hospital setting--impact
4
setting--impact resource
4
utilisation objective
4
objective determine
4
determine resource
4
utilisation patients
4

Similar Publications

We argue that "processes versus objects" is not a useful dichotomy. There is, instead, substantial theoretical utility in viewing "objects" and "processes" as complementary ways of describing persistence through time, and hence the possibility of observation and manipulation. This way of thinking highlights the role of memory as an essential resource for observation, and makes it clear that "memory" and "time" are also mutually inter-defined, complementary concepts.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In the search for novel natural products with hepatoprotective effects against acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury, the marine-derived fungus WHUF0198 was investigated. Seventeen undescribed pyranopyridone alkaloids, aculeapyridones A-Q (-), were isolated by bioactivity-guided fractionation of an extract obtained by coculture of the WHUF0198 with the mangrove-associated fungus sp. DM27.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Patients receiving chiropractic spinal manipulation (CSM) for spinal pain are less likely to be prescribed opioids, and some evidence suggests that these patients have a lower risk of any type of adverse drug event. We hypothesize that adults receiving CSM for sciatica will have a reduced risk of opioid-related adverse drug events (ORADEs) over a one-year follow-up compared to matched controls not receiving CSM.

Methods: We searched a United States (US) claims-based data resource (Diamond Network, TriNetX, Inc.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: High-Flow Nasal Therapy (HFNT) is an innovative non-invasive form of respiratory support. Compared to standard oxygen therapy (SOT), there is an equipoise regarding the effect of HFNT on patient-centred outcomes among those at high risk of developing postoperative pulmonary complications after undergoing cardiac surgery. The NOTACS trial aims to determine the clinical and cost-effectiveness of HFNT compared to SOT within 90 days of surgery in the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The associations between organisational stressors and burnout among healthcare staff working with adults with intellectual disabilities are underexplored. This study investigated rates of burnout and associated stressors among Irish healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Materials And Methods: A convenience sample of 329 Irish frontline staff supporting adults with intellectual disabilities completed a survey assessing personal, work-related, and client-related burnout, and organisational stressors.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!