3-minute read
Patient safety is a top priority in healthcare, and one of the biggest challenges hospitals face is preventing falls. These accidents can lead to longer hospital stays and even serious injury.1 While traditional methods鈥攍ike keeping a close eye on patients and encouraging safe movement鈥攁re still crucial, there鈥檚 more to be done.
That's where Stryker comes in, offering smart, connected solutions that can help support fall prevention protocols and make life a little easier for healthcare teams.
Falls in hospitals happen for all sorts of reasons鈥攑atients might be unsteady from medication, or maybe the environment isn't set up optimally. Thankfully, technology is here to lend a hand.
Stryker鈥檚 fall prevention solutions are designed to take some of the pressure off healthcare teams by using our smart, connected innovations. In conjunction with a hospital鈥檚 fall prevention protocols, these tools are designed to not only help keep patients safe but also make the daily routines of healthcare providers a bit smoother.2 By connecting with the hospital鈥檚 existing systems, our solutions make it easier to spot potential fall risks and take action before injury happens.
At the heart of our fall prevention suite of products are ProCuity and Prime Connect鈥攐ur smart bed and stretcher that are designed to do more than just keep patients comfortable. Through Stryker鈥檚 Dynamic Clinical Workflow, they connect wirelessly to the hospital鈥檚 systems, sending near real-time updates to staff when something needs attention. This helps nurses keep track of what鈥檚 going on without constantly feeling overwhelmed by alarms.3,4
In fact, when hospitals use our connected solutions along with good staff training and solid leadership, the results can be impressive. One hospital saw a 64.8% drop in bed-related falls after they started using Stryker鈥檚 connected beds. Plus, these solutions help lighten the load for nurses, allowing them to focus on the things that matter most鈥攍ike bedside patient care.2
But Stryker鈥檚 technology doesn鈥檛 just stop at helping to support fall prevention protocols. These smart beds and stretchers are part of a bigger picture鈥攁 safety-first approach that touches every part of a hospital鈥檚 care routine. By tying fall prevention into everyday tasks like patient check-ins and medication rounds, our technology can help keep staff informed without unnecessarily adding to their cognitive load.
Let鈥檚 take a look at how this technology works in action. In one hospital鈥檚 post-surgical unit, Stryker鈥檚 iBed technology became a key player in their fall prevention efforts. The team made sure everyone was trained and ready to use the technology properly鈥攏urses, patient care technicians and even unit secretaries all got involved.
The result? Over 65 days with zero patient falls, and an overall 80% reduction in falls across the unit. This success didn鈥檛 just come from the new technology, though鈥攊t was the combination of technology, protocols, training, teamwork and solid leadership that made the difference.5
With our smart, connected solutions鈥攍ike ProCuity, Prime Connect, Dynamic Clinical Workflow, and more鈥攈ospitals are empowered to deliver quality patient care. These technologies equip staff with timely, actionable insights, enabling them to respond swiftly and confidently to help reduce the risk of patient falls.
Stryker鈥檚 connected ProCuity beds and Prime Connect stretchers can help with your hospital's fall prevention strategies.
Learn moreThis clinical outcome story addresses the pressing concern of accidental falls in acute care settings, attributing them to multifaceted factors such as patient physiology, staff behavior and hospital environment. This piece discusses how regular safety audits were employed to bolster compliance with fall prevention strategies and foster a culture of safety.
Learn more1. Dykes PC, Burns Z, Adelman J, et al. Evaluation of a Patient-Centered Fall-Prevention Tool Kit to Reduce Falls and Injuries: A Nonrandomized Controlled Trial. JAMA Netw Open. 2020;3(11):e2025889. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.25889. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
2. Rohac, Delane, et al. 鈥淥utcomes Story: Targeted Fall Prevention Interventions and Wireless Technology Results in Successful Quality Improvement Intervention.鈥 /elmhurst. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
3. Fernandes, Chrystinne, et al. 鈥淒etecting False Alarms by Analyzing Alarm-Context Information: Algorithm Development and Validation.鈥 JMIR Med Inform. Volume 8(5), 2020. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
4. Vocera Engage solution brief. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
5. Harris, Karen. 鈥淥utcomes Story: Quality Improvement Initiative Incorporates i-Bed Technology into Fall Prevention Bundle of Care.鈥 /content/dam/stryker/acute-care/case-studies/UAB%20No%20Falls%20Challenge%20Outcome%20Story%20S3%20iBed.pdf. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
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