Method and system for assessing fall risk

• US 7,282,031 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2005
• Issued: 10/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AHI of Indiana Incorporated
• Original Assignee: ANN Hendrich & Associates
• Inventors: Hendrich, Loretta Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg; Max F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rajan; Kai
• Application Number:
  US11/059,435
• Publication Number:
  US 20050182305A1
• Time in Patent Office: 972 Days
• Field of Search: 600/300, 705/2
• 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 for use by a caregiver, the method comprising the steps of:

evaluating the patient to determine whether the patient exhibits the intrinsic fall risk factors of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions and benzodiazepine prescriptions;

assigning a weighted point value from a predefined point value range, to each of said intrinsic risk factors found to be exhibited by the patient, wherein at least one first intrinsic risk factor is assigned a highest weighted point value, at least one second intrinsic risk factor is assigned a lowest weighted point value, and the remaining intrinsic risk factors are each assigned a weighted point value in between the highest and lowest weighted point values;

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

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

recording the weighted point values in a recordable medium;

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

communicating the patient'"'"'s fall risk to a caregiver;

wherein

the point value for confusion is the highest weighted point value;

the point value for depression is points in between the highest weighted point value and the lowest weighted point value;

the point value for altered elimination is the lowest weighted point value;

the point value for dizziness is the lowest weighted point value;

the point value for an antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescription is in between the highest weighted point value and the lowest weighted point value;

the point value for a benzodiazepine prescription is the lowest weighted point value;

the mobility test point value for the mobility test is the highest weighted point value.

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

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the computer system comprises an electronic database.

4. The method of claim 3, 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.

5. 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).

6. A method for a caregiver to provide 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 the intrinsic fall risk factors 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;

summing the intrinsic risk factor point values together;

performing a mobility test on the patient to evaluate the patient'"'"'s ability to rise from a seated position only if the sum of the intrinsic risk factor point values is less than a predetermined threshold value;

assigning a mobility test point value from a predefined point range to the patient if the patient has performed the mobility test;

recording each point value in a recordable medium;

summing all of the point values together to achieve a total risk score;

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

creating an intervention process to perform on the patient based on the patient'"'"'s fall risk and the intrinsic risk factors exhibited by the patient; and

communicating the fall risk and the intervention process to the caregiver.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the intervention process comprises defined treatments relating to patient assessments, safe environments, elimination needs, patient monitoring, education and team management.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of inputting the patient'"'"'s total risk score into an electronic database.

9. A method for determining a fall risk of a patient for use by a caregiver, the method comprising the steps of:

determining whether the patient exhibits the intrinsic fall risk factors of confusion, depression, altered elimination, dizziness, male gender, antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescriptions and benzodiazepine prescriptions;

assigning a highest weighted point value if the patient exhibits the confusion risk factor;

assigning a first lower weighted point value lower than the highest weighted point value if the patient exhibits the depression risk factor;

assigning a first lowest weighted point value lower than the first lower weighted point value if the patient exhibits the altered elimination risk factor;

assigning a second lowest weighted point value lower than the first lower weighted point value if the patient exhibits the dizziness risk factor;

assigning a third lowest weighted point value lower than the first lower weighted point value if the patient exhibits the male gender factor;

assigning a second lower weighted point value lower than the highest weighted point value if the patient exhibits the antiepileptic/anticonvulsant prescription risk factor;

assigning a fourth lowest weighted point value lower than the first lower weighted point value if the patient exhibits the benzodiazepine prescription risk factor;

recording all of the weighted point values in a recordable medium;

summing all of the intrinsic risk factor point values to a total risk score;

determining that patient'"'"'s fall risk is high if the total risk score is greater than a predetermined threshold value;

assessing the patient'"'"'s mobility if the total risk score is less than the predetermined threshold value;

assigning a weighted point value of up to the highest weighted point value based on the patient'"'"'s mobility assessment;

adding the mobility point value to the total risk score; and

communicating the patient'"'"'s fall risk as being high to a caregiver if the total risk score is greater than the predetermined threshold value.