Falls are a common cause of injury in the United States, both within and outside of healthcare settings. Each year, millions of people, many whom are age 65 and older, are treated in hospital emergency departments due to a fall. Of those falls, many end up hospitalized with a broken hip, head trauma, internal bleeding, or other serious injury - sometimes even resulting in death. As the U.S. population continues to age, the number of falls requiring treatment is likely to continue rising.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), fall injuries are among the twenty most expensive medical conditions with the hospital costs for fall injuries averaging over $30,000 for each incident. In 2015 alone, Medicare costs related to fall injuries totaled over $31 billion. For falls that happen while a patient is under hospital care, however, CMS no longer reimburses for treatment of certain types of injury due to preventable falls. Because of this, many hospitals have strengthened their fall prevention protocols and programs to reduce the incidence of falls to inpatients.
Falls are costly for patients as well. For many patients, direct medical costs, including hospital fees, professional medical providers, and prescription drugs, are often covered by Medicare, Medicaid or their private insurance. However, indirect costs, including a permanent disability, dependence on others, lost time from work, and reduced quality of life, are carried by the patient indefinitely.
While falls happen in the hospital, they often result in patient injuries and additional health care costs. Improper footwear is an extrinsic risk factor for patient falls that happen in hospitals. Appropriate non-skid footwear that minimizes the risk of a fall is regarded by industry leaders as an important element of fall prevention, especially for older people. Providing safe footwear specifically designed to be used in a health care setting is an easy and resource-efficient way to promote safety for all patients.
Encompass Group LLC offers over 10 unique brands of slip-resistant Patient Safety Footwear offering distinct features while providing top of the line slip-resistance to aid in fall prevention. We offer products ranging from Albahealth's classic slip-resistance in single or double tread styles to Safe-Steps™ Fall Risk Management Kits, which provide the key components needed to properly and easily identify patients at risk for falls. Our Albahealth division is the leader in patient safety footwear, providing over 40 years of continuous innovation like today’s Confetti Treads™ All-Around Tread footwear.
Nobody can prevent all patient falls from happening, but let Encompass Group LLC help you find the best products to reduce the ones you can prevent at your hospital. Call 1-800-245-4636 or email me today to learn more about how providing patients with the proper footwear can keep them safe and comfortable throughout their stay.