Method and system for assessing fall risk

• US 20050182305A1
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Published: 08/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AHI of Indiana Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ANN Hendrich & Associates
• Inventors: Hendrich, Loretta Ann
• Granted Patent: US 7,282,031 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/92 Computer assisted medical diagnostics

Abstract

A method and system for determining the fall risk of a patient is provided. The method includes the evaluation of a patient to determine whether the patient exhibits one or more intrinsic fall risk factors selected from a group consisting of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions and benzodiazepine prescriptions. A specific point value is assigned to each of the intrinsic risk factors found to be exhibited by the patient. A mobility test is also performed on the patient to evaluate the patient'"'"'s ability to rise from a seated position, and a specific mobility test point value is assigned to the patient based upon the patient'"'"'s performance of the mobility test. Each intrinsic risk factor'"'"'s specific point value is then summed together with the specific mobility test point value to achieve a total risk score, and the patient'"'"'s fall risk is determined based on the total risk score. An intervention process may be developed for the patient based on the patient'"'"'s fall risk.

Claims

1. A method for determining a fall risk of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

evaluating the patient to determine whether the patient exhibits one or more intrinsic fall risk factors selected from the group consisting of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions and benzodiazepine prescriptions;

assigning a point value from a predefined point value range, to each intrinsic risk factor found to be exhibited by the patient;

performing a mobility test on the patient to evaluate the patient'"'"'s ability to rise from a seated position;

assigning a mobility test point value from a predefined point value range, to the patient based upon the patient'"'"'s performance of the mobility test;

summing the intrinsic risk factor point values together with the mobility test point value to achieve a total risk score; and

determining the patient'"'"'s fall risk based on the total risk score.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the point value for confusion is up to four (4) points.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the point value for depression is up to two (2) points.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the point value for altered elimination is up to one (1) point.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the point value for dizziness is up to one (1) point.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the point value for the male gender is up to one (1) point.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the point value for an antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescription is up to two (2) points.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the point value for a benzodiazepine prescription is up to one (1) point.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobility test point value for the mobility test is up to eight (8) points.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of inputting the total risk score into a computer system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the computer system comprises an electronic database.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of comparing the patient'"'"'s total risk score with other total risk scores contained within the electronic database to determine fall risk trends.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the patient comprises a high fall risk if the total risk score is greater than or equal to five (5).

14. A system for assessing a patient'"'"'s fall risk, the system comprising:

means for associating a risk model tool with a computer system, the risk model tool including means for evaluating a patient'"'"'s fall risk score by determining whether a patient exhibits one or more intrinsic fall risk factors selected from the group consisting of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions, benzodiazepine prescriptions and mobility;

means for inputting the patient'"'"'s fall risk score into the computer system; and

means for storing the patient'"'"'s fall risk score in an electronic database.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for comparing the patient'"'"'s fall risk score with other fall risk scores contained within the electronic database to determine fall risk trends.

16. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for generating a message to a remote computing station when the patient'"'"'s fall risk score is high.

17. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for communicating the patient'"'"'s fall risk score to a caregiver.

18. A method for determining an intervention process for a patient based on a fall risk score, the method comprising the steps of:

evaluating a patient to determine whether the patient exhibits one or more intrinsic fall risk factors selected from the group consisting of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions and benzodiazepine prescriptions;

assigning a point value from a predefined point range to each intrinsic risk factor found to be exhibited by the patient;

performing a mobility test on the patient to evaluate the patient'"'"'s ability to rise from a seated position;

assigning a mobility test point value from a predefined point range to the patient based upon the patient'"'"'s performance of the mobility test;

summing the intrinsic risk factor point values together with the mobility test point value to achieve a total risk score;

determining the patient'"'"'s fall risk based on the total risk score; and

creating an intervention process to perform on the patient based on the patient'"'"'s fall risk.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the intervention process comprises defined treatments relating to patient assessments, safe environments, elimination needs, patient monitoring, education and team management.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of inputting the patient'"'"'s total risk score into an electronic database.