Honors Capstone Project
1
Advisor(s)
Kelly Kroustos, PharmD
Confirmation
1
Document Type
Paper
Location
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage Room
Start Date
18-4-2023 3:00 PM
End Date
18-4-2023 5:00 PM
Abstract
More than 25% of seniors will fall each year due to modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. The result is three million emergency department visits and 50 billion dollars in annual healthcare costs.1 Effective falls prevention is complex and needs collaboration from all members of the healthcare team. The best national, state and local strategies individualize patient safety from all sources of harm.2 Multifactorial interventions use health and mobility reviews to reduce the rate of falls and educate older adults.3 The CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) and ASCP/NCOA’s Falls Risk Reduction Toolkit are examples of national programs that have provided clinicians with algorithms to identify and mitigate fall risk.1,4 The STEADI initiative started large-scale incorporation of evidenced-based programs in health systems and primary care practices by distributing educational and practice tailored tools.5 The Falls Risk Reduction Toolkit certifies practitioners to use a collaborative approach for comprehensive risk factor assessment.4 The Ohio Department of Health is proactive in protecting the senior population by establishing an Older Adults Falls Prevention Coalition as a subgroup of the Ohio Injury Prevention Partnership (OIPP). Their mission is to reduce falls through awareness, infrastructure, policy and promotion subcommittees. This group provides funding to pilot projects and reassess its State Plan biannually.6,7Evidence-based data drives programmatic assessment for national organizations. The Ohio Department of Health utilizes the State Health Assessment data in partnership with the Older Adults Falls Prevention Coalition to assess and update the subcommittees specific State Plan relating to falls prevention. Pharmacists are readily accessible to patients and play a significant role in identifying risks and recommending safe medication use. Falls are avoidable and the interventions listed above provide a framework to ignite partnerships within our communities. The Ohio Department of Aging endorses local evidence-based falls prevention workshops (Matter of Balance and Stepping On) and pharmacists are able collaborate within these programs. Effective implementation of these programs can be measured by the number, rate and severity of falls in the senior population.3 References upon request.
Recommended Citation
Catrine, Kristyn Elise, "Utilizing Evidence-Based Resources for Collaborative Falls Prevention" (2023). ONU Student Research Colloquium. 17.
https://digitalcommons.onu.edu/student_research_colloquium/2023/papers/17
Level of Access
Open Access
Utilizing Evidence-Based Resources for Collaborative Falls Prevention
ONU McIntosh Center; Dean's Heritage Room
More than 25% of seniors will fall each year due to modifiable and nonmodifiable risk factors. The result is three million emergency department visits and 50 billion dollars in annual healthcare costs.1 Effective falls prevention is complex and needs collaboration from all members of the healthcare team. The best national, state and local strategies individualize patient safety from all sources of harm.2 Multifactorial interventions use health and mobility reviews to reduce the rate of falls and educate older adults.3 The CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths and Injuries (STEADI) and ASCP/NCOA’s Falls Risk Reduction Toolkit are examples of national programs that have provided clinicians with algorithms to identify and mitigate fall risk.1,4 The STEADI initiative started large-scale incorporation of evidenced-based programs in health systems and primary care practices by distributing educational and practice tailored tools.5 The Falls Risk Reduction Toolkit certifies practitioners to use a collaborative approach for comprehensive risk factor assessment.4 The Ohio Department of Health is proactive in protecting the senior population by establishing an Older Adults Falls Prevention Coalition as a subgroup of the Ohio Injury Prevention Partnership (OIPP). Their mission is to reduce falls through awareness, infrastructure, policy and promotion subcommittees. This group provides funding to pilot projects and reassess its State Plan biannually.6,7Evidence-based data drives programmatic assessment for national organizations. The Ohio Department of Health utilizes the State Health Assessment data in partnership with the Older Adults Falls Prevention Coalition to assess and update the subcommittees specific State Plan relating to falls prevention. Pharmacists are readily accessible to patients and play a significant role in identifying risks and recommending safe medication use. Falls are avoidable and the interventions listed above provide a framework to ignite partnerships within our communities. The Ohio Department of Aging endorses local evidence-based falls prevention workshops (Matter of Balance and Stepping On) and pharmacists are able collaborate within these programs. Effective implementation of these programs can be measured by the number, rate and severity of falls in the senior population.3 References upon request.