title: The financial implications of falls in older people for an acute hospital.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Falls are a common occurrence in older people and frequently lead to hospital admission. There is a current lack of cohesive fall prevention strategies in the Republic of Ireland.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the cost of fall-related admissions to an acute hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  A review of Hospital Inpatient Enquiry (HIPE) data and medical case notes was performed for all fall-related admissions over a one-year period. The cost of fall-related admissions was calculated. In addition a detailed cost analysis was performed to determine the true cost of a hip fracture admission.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 810 fall-related admissions, resulting in 8,300 acute bed days, and 6,220 rehabilitation bed days, costing euros 10.3 million. Fall-related readmissions resulted in 650 bed-days, bringing the total cost to euros 10.8 million. A typical hip fracture incident admission episode costs euros 14,300.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fall-related admissions of olderpeople are a significant financial burden to the health service.
authors.affiliation: Cork University Hospital. pecotter@eircom.net
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Timmons
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Twomey
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Mahony
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000191:economics* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000191:economics / Q000517:prevention & control; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000191:economics*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies