Study shows success of fall risk predictive solution

Researchers used the fall prevention monitoring system from Waltham, Mass.-based EarlySense Inc., which features a predictive alert that senses when a resident begins to get out of bed. By responding to every alert, researchers found that the predictive notification preceded the actual event by 57 to 72 seconds, with a positive predictive value of up to 67 percent. Researchers concluded that being able to predict a bed exit in a timely manner could give the staff enough time to intercede.

“We are working with numerous healthcare facilities, some were experiencing 4-5 falls per month in a given care area, and after implementation of the EarlySense System, and educating staff about the importance of response times to a bed exit alert, these rates have been reduced to in some cases less than one fall per month," said Tim O’Malley, president of EarlySense, in a press release. "[The system] allows caregivers to titrate bed exit sensitivity to a particular patient, and track the alert response time to the bedside or chair of a patient. This complete solution gives caregivers the confidence that they can provide safe and efficient care by being at the patient’s side before they exit the bed or chair.”