The facility management team at St. Joseph’s Hospital, which is part of the BayCare Health System, set out to reduce falls in common areas of the hospital, such as hallways, waiting rooms, cafes, sidewalks, and parking lots. After 12 safety measures were implemented, the hospital recorded a 16 percent reduction in falls from the previous year. This session explores the changes made and ways to take a team approach to reducing slips, trips, and falls.

Learning Objectives:

Examine the circumstance(s) surrounding falls to determine their root causes.
Describe how risk management and workers compensation professionals determine whether a fall was preventable.
List proactive steps can be taken to prevent trips, slips, and falls.
Name ways the physical environment can be changed to lessen the risk of falls.

Tom Davis MA, CHFM

Director, East Region BayCare Health System

Appearances