Early experience of a fall and fracture prevention clinic at Mayo General Hospital.
BACKGROUND
Falls in the elderly are a significant public health problem. Previous studies have shown that most falls are multifactorial and an efficacious way of reducing the risk of falling is provided by a falls clinic.


OBJECTIVE
A falls clinic runs every 2 weeks at Mayo General Hospital; we report on the activity of this clinic during its first year.


METHODS
We performed a chart review and collected the following data. Thirty-seven patients attended the clinic. All patients were seen by a physiotherapist, occupational therapist, physician and pharmacist. Six patients had a further fall within a 12-month period; 2 of these suffered a further fracture. No patients were readmitted to hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show a reduction in fall occurrence from previously reported rates in this at-risk population. We find the falls clinic a convenient and effective method of managing elderly people who are at increased risk of falling.
Beaumont Hospital, Beaumont, Dublin 9, Ireland. alanhanley@gmail.com
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Hanley
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Ali
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Murphy
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012307:Risk Factors; D040241:Social Marketing; D013997:Time Factors