The financial implications of falls in older people for an acute hospital.
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.
Cotter
P E
PE
Cork University Hospital. pecotter@eircom.net
Timmons
S
S
O'Connor
M
M
Twomey
C
C
O'Mahony
D
D
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