Falls in healthcare settings are a significant patient safety issue with serious implications for patients, families, and healthcare systems. We bring those we love to a place to treat a medical problem and keep them safe, but then the patient suffers a fall. With luck, there is not injury but sometimes there is a serious consequence of the fall. Falls sometimes result in fractures and even serious head injuries (Fractures are among the most common severe injuries, including hip fractures (10.5%), femur fractures (36.8%), and other bone injuries like rib or clavicle fractures (10.5%). Head trauma is also a significant concern). Behind each statistic is a patient whose recovery was derailed.
Consider the active 72-year-old who came in for routine care but left with a hip fracture, or the 50-year-old cancer patient whose fall led to additional trauma during an already difficult treatment journey. These aren’t just incidents—they’re life-altering events that change recovery trajectories and diminish quality of life.
A fall in a hospital is defined as an unplanned descent to the floor with or without injury to the patient. Falls are among the most frequent adverse events in hospitals, often leading to physical injuries such as fractures, lacerations, or internal bleeding. Beyond physical harm, falls can cause psychological distress for patients and families, increase healthcare costs, and extend hospital stays. Despite our awareness of falls as the consequence of falls in the hospital setting, they still happen with alarming frequency. Hospital fall rates vary depending on the unit and patient population. On average, falls occur at a rate of 3–5 per 1,000 bed days (https://psnet.ahrq.gov/primer/falls).
So what actions can we begin to take to reduce this common hospital acquired harm?