Improving inpatient fall prevention strategies using interactive data repository information system

Abstract

Observing the pattern changes of inpatient fall and validating the Fall Prevention Tool Kit (FPTK) are essential for developing fall prevention strategies. However, the work requires the collection, calculation, and comparison of large amount of data. The information is often scattered in diverse information systems and lack of integration, which makes the work difficult and often neglected. This study demonstrates the development of an Interactive Data Repository System (IDRS) and uses it in the analysis of the pattern changes of inpatient fall within the institute, and validates efficiency of the FPTK across time. This study collected the incident data of year 2011 and compared it with the previous analysis in 2001. The result shows that reasons for patient fall had turned from physical disability to impaired conscious or cognition. The scoring result may be too sensitive in identifying patient falls. Patients with high scores needed to reinforce in functional strength. ? 2014 The authors and IOS Press.