According to an article on the Becker's ASC website, the patient fall rate was 1.4 per 10,000 ASC admissions in 2011. To help prevent falls, the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care's Institute for Quality Improvement recommends following steps:
1. Communicate risk factors to patient, patient's caregivers and all patient care staff.
2. Identify the need for a translator if English is not the patient's primary language.
3. Train patients about gait and balance.
4. Review and modify medications — especially cardiovascular agents associated with orthostatic drop in systolic pressure.
5. Prevent/treat postural hypotension.
Read the rest of the steps.
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