Remote Patient Monitoring Improves Patient Falls and Reduces Harm

• Published in: Journal of nursing care quality Vol. 39; no. 3; p. 212
• Main Authors: Zimbro, Kathie S, Bridges, Charlene, Bunn, Sharon, Wilmoth, Donna D, Beck, Mark, Smith, Catherine V, Marra, Michael, Ver Schneider, Patricia, Morgan, Merri K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.07.2024
• Subjects: Accidental Falls - prevention & control; Accidental Falls - statistics & numerical data; Electronic Health Records - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Monitoring, Physiologic - methods; Patient Safety - statistics & numerical data; United States; United States
• ISSN: 1550-5065
• DOI: 10.1097/NCQ.0000000000000749

Minimizing patient falls and fall-related injuries within organizational constraints is a high priority for nurse leaders. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services do not reimburse hospitals for fall-related expenditures. In-person sitters are used to prevent falls but are resource intensive and costly. Remote patient monitoring (RPM) may offer alternatives to in-person sitters to reduce fall-related harm. The efficacy of RPM to reduce patient falls and fall-related injuries was explored. Electronic health record data were extracted from a 13-hospital integrated health care system. Incidence rate ratios were used to analyze the impact of RPM technology on falls and fall-related injuries. When used in conjunction with standard fall precautions, RPM reduced falls 33.7% and fall-related injuries 47.4%. Fall-related expenditures decreased $304 400 with a combined estimated savings systemwide of $2 089 600 annually. RPM technology minimized falls and associated harm and improved patient safety, positively impacting hospital expenditures.