Falls in health care settings, especially in an emergency department (ED), present significant safety risks, often leading to injuries, extended hospital stays, and increased costs. The Fremont ED initiated a focused effort to reduce falls and improve patient safety.

Serving a diverse population, including many geriatric patients, the Fremont ED faces unique challenges due to factors such as impaired mobility, medication side effects, and underlying health conditions, all of which increase fall risk. Addressing these risks is essential for ensuring patient safety during ED visits.

To reduce the number of patient falls in the ED, a comprehensive fall prevention initiative was implemented for all patients. This initiative focused on standardizing fall prevention practices in the ED by increasing staff awareness and implementing targeted safety measures. Key interventions included staff education, a geriatric fall prevention cart, fitted sheets, expanded access to walkers, and improved availability of clip alarms.

Following the implementation of the fall prevention strategies, the Fremont ED successfully reduced the number of falls per 1000 ED encounter in 2024 from 0.36 to 0.30 number of falls per 1000 ED encounter as of July 2025. This reduction demonstrated the effectiveness of this multifaceted approach. Ongoing monitoring and feedback from staff ensured that the interventions were adhered to and maintained, leading to sustained improvements in patient safety. These efforts highlight the importance of collaboration, education, and accessibility of resources in minimizing fall risk.

In conclusion, the strategies employed have shown promising results, and we plan to continue refining and expanding these initiatives to further reduce falls in the ED and to promote a safer environment for our patients.