title: Research on patient safety: falls and medications.
abstract: Below you will find summaries of published research describing investigations into patient safety issues related to falls and medications. The first summary provides details on the incidence of falls associated with the use of walkers and canes. This is followed by a summary of a fall-prevention intervention study that evaluated the effectiveness of widespread dissemination of evidence-based strategies in a community in Connecticut. The third write up provides information on three classes of medications that are associated with a significant number of emergency room visits. The last summary describes a pharmacist-managed medication reconciliation intervention pilot program. For additional details about the study findings and interventions, we encourage readers to review the original articles.
authors.affiliation: VNS CHOICE Community Care, Visiting Nurse Service of New York, New York 10001, USA.
authors.forename: Sandra Dawn
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Boddice
authors.forename: Polina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kogan
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D002183:Canes / Q000009:adverse effects; D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D064420:Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006699:Home Care Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012866:Skilled Nursing Facilities; D014853:Walkers / Q000009:adverse effects; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*