Using Technology to Prevent Patient Falls

Patient falls in hospitals cause physiological and psychological harm to patients and negatively affects timely and effective care. They also increase hospital costs and the duration of hospital stays. Therefore, preventing them is critical for patient safety and the quality of healthcare since they may yield serious outcomes. The literature indicates many practices intended to prevent falls that have been proven to be effective. New practices also emerge with technological developments. The most commonly used technology is sensor technology. Other technologies used include health informatics technologies, video cameras and communication technologies. These technologies can be used alone or in combination with other practices. However, only limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of using technologies alone to prevent patient falls. This review of the literature aims to describe the technologies used to prevent patient falls and share the information in the literature about them. It will help healthcare personnel and administrators to implement fall-preventive strategies.