VA Boston tries smart socks to help prevent inpatient falls
Patient falls in the U.S. are a devastating healthcare problem. Every year, nearly one million patients in U.S. hospitals fall while hospitalized.
Data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services indicate that the average U.S. hospital experiences five falls per 1,000 patient days. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these falls may increase the risk of functional decline, lead to poor functional outcomes after discharge, and increase hospital readmissions.
In response, VA Boston Healthcare System is implementing Palarum PUP SmartSock technology to help prevent patient falls and reduce their related costs.
“The New England Center for Innovation Excellence is excited about the success of “smart” socks and integrated technology at the Palo Alto VA, led by National Center for Collaborative Healthcare Innovation, where they were able to reduce patient falls by more than half in acute care settings,” said Leandro DaSilva, director of the New England Center for Innovation Excellence. “We hope to replicate that success here, with the rollout of the PUP socks.”
The PUP — Patient is UP! — Smart Sock incorporates patented wearable technology that helps prevent patient falls and enhance rehabilitation therapy. Featuring conductive fabric and Internet of things technologies, PUP socks issue real-time alarms to notify nearby nurses that a fall-risk patient is out of bed and unassisted. Clinical trials have also shown a reduction in false alarms in comparison with more traditional systems, such as bed, floor and chair alarms, which may help reduce “alarm fatigue” among inpatient unit staff.
