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7324MED CASE STUDY
FALLS MANAGEMENT PLAN AND STRATEGY FOR THE MOUNT PLEASANT HOSPITAL
INTRODUCTION
You are the newly appointed manager of the hospital’s clinical redesign and education unit. You have
been recently approached by the management of your hospital who is concerned by an increase in the
number of elderly people in the community who have been hospitalised due to an accidental fall. To
help you to understand the size of this issue - the hospital executive have referred you to the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare’s Study on falls, in particular the sections relating to falls and the injury
burden that falls cause.
Source: AIHW: Bradley C 2013. Trends in hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 1999–00
to 2010–11. Injury research and statistics no. 84. Cat. no. INJCAT 160. Canberra: AIHW.
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There has also been an increase in the number of falls for patients during their stay in the Mount Pleasant hospital. The hospital executive call you to a meeting to explain that with the ageing population this is a worrying problem. The hospital executive also state, that as part of casemix funding some States have introduced to their performance monitoring framework a monetary-based penalty when patients have a fall during their hospital stay. The hospital executive explain that it is important for patient safety and quality and to avoid negative budget impacts to understand why falls are increasing. In order to address these issues the hospital executive want to provide funding to your unit for a project to investigate further and recommend solutions.
Your task is to complete the project plan and associated budget for the falls project. In addition to this you will need to develop a short PowerPoint (12 slides) presentation for the executive regarding the project CASE STUDY BACKGROUND INFORMATION AND DATA PROJECT BRIEF
Develop a project plan for this project based on the information provided. The hospital executive present you with some data that will help you to initiate the project plan. You are free to make assumptions but explain this in your Plan.
The executive have given you 3 weeks to complete the project plan and advise that they want the project completed in 3 months. The major deliverable from the project when it is completed is a report that outlines recommendations/strategies for reducing falls
In order to assist you to develop the scope for the project plan the Tasks that will need to be performed by this project but are not limited to:
Quantification of the size and cost of falls in hospitals
Size and cost of admissions related to elderly patients who present to the emergency department
Solutions identification and recommendations
Project team that will be assembled for the project
Data that would be needed and sources
These should be addressed in the Project Plan that you write.
BACKGROUND MOUNT PLEASANT HOSPITAL
Acute public hospital providing general surgical and orthopaedic care as well as cancer, cardiac and general medical specialties. This hospital has access to rehabilitation services for patients who need ongoing services after their acute phase.
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Data Provided by Hospital Executive
The graph below shows by body part injured, the percentage of cases in each group. Hip and lower limb injuries being the most prevalent.
The graph below shows the location where injuries occurred.
0.090.09 0.09
0.0920.092 0.0920.092
0.0950.095 0.0950.095
0.110.11 0.11
0.1150.115 0.1150.115
0.120.12 0.12
0.070.07 0.07
0.070.07 0.07
0.0750.075 0.075
0.080.08 0.08
0.070.07 0.07
0.070.07 0.07
0
0.020.020.020.02
0.040.040.040.04
0.060.060.060.06
0.080.080.080.08
0.10.10.1
0.120.120.120.12
0.140.140.140.14
2010201020102010
2011201120112011
2012201220122012
2013201320132013
2014201420142014
2015201520152015
Rate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient daysRate per 100 patient days
Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant HospitalFalls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant HospitalFalls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant HospitalFalls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant HospitalFalls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant HospitalFalls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital Falls Rate Mount Pleasant Hospital
Study HospitalStudy Hospital Study Hospital Study Hospital Study Hospital
Peer HospitalPeer HospitalPeer HospitalPeer HospitalPeer Hospital Peer Hospital Peer Hospital Peer Hospital
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Source : AIHW: Bradley C 2013. Trends in hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 1999–00 to 2010–11. Injury research and statistics no. 84. Cat. no. INJCAT 160. Canberra: AIHW.
Mount Pleasant Hospital Number of Wards Beds per ward Average Length of Stay Nurse per patient ratio
10
30
4.5
1:5
Mount Pleasant Hospital Allied Health Departments
Physiotherapy
Occupational Therapy
Social work
Other
Electronic clinical pathways available in the electronic health record
Electronic referral system implemented in electronic health record
Electronic Incident management system implemented REFERENCES
AIHW: Bradley C 2013. Trends in hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 1999–00 to 2010–11. Injury research and statistics no. 84. Cat. no. INJCAT 160. Canberra: AIHW. http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=60129543594