Purpose
The main purpose of this program is to reduce the number of inpatients falls in the clinic. One should note that this problem is one of the main concerns for many hospitals since such events can adversely affect a great number of people (Duque & Kiel, 2009, p. 131). This is the main rationale for adopting the proposed interventions. Moreover, this initiative is supposed to minimize the risk of fall-related injuries, which can pose a threat to the health of many patients. Very often, such events can lead to other co-morbidities (Mauk, 2013). Finally, it should minimize the costs that the clinic incurs due to such events. These are the main improvements that this program should bring in the long term.
Target population
This program is primarily intended for elderly patients who are at a greater risk of falling. In particular, one should speak about people who suffer from such conditions as stroke or arthritis since they significantly impair the mobility of a person (Mauk, 2013, p. 466). Additionally, much attention should be paid to people who partially lost their sensation in feet (Duque & Kiel, 2009, p. 131). Additionally, one should speak about those individuals whose mobility can be impaired due to the use of some medical devices such as catheters that also limit the movements of a person.
Furthermore, one should focus on the needs of those people who underwent joint replacement (Mauk, 2013, p. 466). Apart from that, this program can benefit those patients who are affected by blood pressure or visual impairment (Duque & Kiel, 2009, p. 131). These are the main at-risk groups that can be identified. To a great extent, these examples indicate that medical workers should focus on the screening procedures that can identify patients who are more exposed to the dangers of falling. This is one of the steps that should be taken. On the whole, it is possible to argue that this policy can benefit the patients of this clinic which serves the needs of elderly people for whom falls can prove to be particularly dangerous (Mauk, 2013). Thus, this program can be particularly useful in this healthcare setting.
Benefits of the program
There are several benefits that this program can bring to this clinic. First, it can bring significant improvements in the quality of patient care, which is one of the topmost priorities for hospital administrators who should continuously focus on the needs of patients. Additionally, these set of interventions can significantly reduce the costs which are required for the treatment of fall-related injuries (Mauk, 2013). Currently, the clinic is continuously pressured to minimize the costs of care. In turn, these interventions can help the organization achieve this objective.
Furthermore, in the long-term, this strategy can increase customers’ satisfaction with the services provided by this medical institution. This issue is also of great importance for modern hospitals that strive to become more patient-oriented. Overall, the chosen solutions can significantly improve the work of this healthcare organization.
Cost justification
Overall, the expenses required for the implementation of this program can be better justified by examining the costs associated with the treatment of injuries caused by falls. It should be noted that such patients usually stay in hospital much longer in comparison with other patients. Additionally, the costs of treatment increase by approximately 60 percent (Pearson & Coburn, 2011, p. 1). These costs can be attributed to such activities as the prescription of drugs and additional medical services. As a rule, these accidents lead to extra costs when a patient sustains a fracture. This issue is particularly important for organizations that offer medical assistance to elderly people.
Furthermore, one should not forget about the non-financial aspects of this problem. In particular, very often, patients become dissatisfied with the services of a medical institution. In turn, this program can enable the clinic to avoid this pitfall. These are some of the factors that should be taken into account by hospital administrators.
The costs of implementing this program will cover the following aspects:
- The procurement of bed alarms, bed rails, and night lights which are needed to minimize the possibility of falling;
- Training of medical workers who should be able to identify at-risk patients;
- Additional screening of new patients (Duque & Kiel, 2009, p. 131).
These are the main resources that will be required for this program. Additionally, it will be necessary to spend cost on printed materials that can help medical workers better understand various aspects of this program as well as the major stages of its implementation. Nevertheless, these expenses can be justified provided that the clinic reduces the number of inpatient falls as well as the costs associated with these incidents. These are the main points that can be made.
The basis upon which the program will be evaluated
While evaluating the efficiency of this program, one should focus on several important educators. In particular, hospital administrators should first focus on the number of inpatients falls during a certain period. In particular, the results should be collected every month. In this way, one can better understand whether this program can significantly diminish the number of falls. Secondly, it is important to focus on the cost-efficiency of this program. However, one should keep in mind that the financial aspects of this project should also be evaluated only when each of the proposed interventions is fully implemented. The economic effects of this program can become palpable only after a year since implementation. From a financial viewpoint, it is a long-term initiative that cannot produce instantaneous results. This is one of the issues that should not be disregarded by the main decision-makers.
Conclusion
Overall, the proposed intervention might have been approved by hospital administration since it can address one of the key problems faced by many hospitals. Nevertheless, more attention should be paid to the financial aspects of this program. In particular, it is important to take into account the availability of resources at the current moment. The main strength of this proposal is that it identifies the benefits that this program can offer.
Moreover, it shows what kind of resources and interventions are needed to minimize the risk of falls. Yet, there are some weaknesses that should not be overlooked. In particular, this proposal does not identify the expenses that the clinic will need to incur. These calculations would require the examination of different suppliers that may provide the necessary equipment as bed alarms. These are some of the limitations that can be singled out. Nevertheless, these drawbacks do not undermine the validity of this program.
Reference List
Duque, G., & Kiel, D. (2009). Osteoporosis in Older Persons: Pathophysiology and Therapeutic Approach. New York, NY: Springer Science & Business Media.
Mauk, K. (2013). Gerontological Nursing: Competencies for Care. New York, NY: Jones & Bartlett Publishers.
Pearson, K., & Coburn, A. (2011). Evidence-based Falls Prevention in Critical Access Hospitals. Web.