One of the biggest concerns in Pennsylvania hospitals is how to keep patients from falling, and one of the most common ways hospitals attempt to protect patients is through bed alarms. However, a recent 18 month long university study revealed that those alarms do not decrease the instances of falls, and hospital negligence can arise when they are relied upon too heavily.

Those who install alarms have the best intentions, of course. If a patient begins to fall, staff should be alerted and hurry in to assist them. But too often using this method alone has a "crying wolf" effect because alarms can easily be tripped even when a patient is not in danger. Patients who are at a high risk of falling are often given instruction to not try and walk on their own, and family members who visit are alerted to the restriction.

Although a wide variety of conditions may put a patient at risk of falling, those over 65 are at greater risk as they are the leading cause of injury and death in this age group. More than $2 million are treated in United States emergency rooms each year, drumming up bills totaling near $30 billion. Those costs are absorbed by the patients and their families. The average in hospital fall tacks $4,000 on to a medical bill.

While it may not be possible to prevent all hospital falls, it is important that hospitals take the precautions that they can, including frequent checks of those who are more likely to fall, and giving frequent reminders to those who may forget not to attempt to walk on their own. Since many falls occur in the middle of the night while patients attempt to get up to use the bathroom, encouraging patients to seek help in this case may also be beneficial. Unfortunately, there are times when proper precautions are not taken, and medical negligence is apparent. If this happens it is important for patients and their families to make note of it in order to stay protected.

Source: USA Today, "Study finds hospital bed alarms don't deliver results," Frank Gluck, Dec. 5, 2012