Serious fall-related injuries profoundly affect the lives of older adults, and falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among older adults. One in four older adults falls each year and nearly 36 million falls were reported in 2018, resulting in more than 900,000 hospitalizations, 32,000 deaths, and $50 billion in healthcare costs—all of which will rise as the population ages.
Learn how AI can help HCOs reduce fall-related injuries, ensure needs for functional support are met, and promote continuity of care. Discover how AI can help predict individuals at high risk of falling, anticipate the need for improved support and device usage, and identify risk factors (e.g., undetected frailty) that increase vulnerability to other adverse events.
Data extracted from health insurance medical claims with details about dates and place of service, diagnosis codes, key procedures, use of medical equipment, and provider specialties.
Data from electronic prescriptions detailing key information about medications, dosage, patient instructions for frequency and timing, and available refills.
Remote monitoring data capture key vital signs and health behaviors (e.g. blood pressure, heart rate, blood glucose, activity levels, etc.).
ClosedLoop generates explainable predictions using
thousands of auto-generated, clinically relevant contributing factors
Serious fall-related injuries profoundly affect the lives of older adults, and falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults age 65 and over.¹ Approximately one in four older adults falls each year and nearly 36 million falls were reported in 2018, resulting in more than 900,000 hospitalizations and 32,000 deaths.²
These numbers are expected to balloon as this older population continues to grow. Death rates from falls have already increased roughly 30% in the last decade, and the current $50 billion fall-related, annual costs are expected to climb accordingly.³𝄒⁴ Moreover, falling once doubles the chance of falling again; even individuals that fall but do not sustain serious injuries are at an elevated risk for subsequent falls that may require medical attention.⁵
Yet, falls are not reliably reported, despite their prevalence and the dangers they pose. 72% of patients who had received care for a fall-related injury did not report it when asked by their physician, leaving nearly three in four patients without the initiation of fall prevention activities.⁶
Fortunately, predictive analytics can enable practitioners to proactively identify high-risk patients in a timely manner and start conversations about the myriad of preventative measures available. From there, practitioners can leverage AI-based insights to create intervention strategies that may include individually-tailored combinations of preventative measures, such as strength and flexibility training, medication review, assistive devices, and home modifications.
1. Bergen, Gwen, et al. “Falls and Fall Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2014.” MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 65, no. 37, 23 Sept. 2016, pp. 993–998. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6537a2
2. Moreland Briana, et al. “Trends in Nonfatal Falls and Fall-Related Injuries Among Adults Aged ≥65 Years — United States, 2012–2018.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 69, no. 27, July 2020, pp. 875–881. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6927a5
3. Burns, Elizabeth., and Kakara, Ramakrishna. “Deaths from falls among persons aged ≥65 years—United States, 2007-2016.” Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, vol. 67, no. 18, May 2018, pp. 509–514. DOI:10.15585/mmwr.mm6718a1
4. Florence, Curtis S, et al. “Medical Costs of Fatal and Nonfatal Falls in Older Adults.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, vol. 66, no. 4, March 2018, pp. 693–698. DOI:10.1111/jgs.15304
5. Stevens, Judy A., and Phelan, Elizabeth A. “Development of STEADI: a fall prevention resource for health care providers.” Health Promotion Practice, vol. 14, no. 5, Sept. 2013, pp. 706–714. DOI: 10.1177/1524839912463576
6. Hoffman, Geoffrey J., et al. “Underreporting of Fall Injuries of Older Adults: Implications for Wellness Visit Fall Risk Screening.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, vol. 66, no. 6, 17 Apr. 2018, pp. 1195–1200, DOI: 10.1111/jgs.15360