Real-time fall detection using SafelyYou’s artificial intelligence-enabled video recording reduced the need for emergency services by a staggering 80% in dementia care facilities, according to research results published in the American Journal of Managed Care. The study closely examined the impact of SafelyYou’s memory care-focused technology to detect falls, videotape falls and notify care staff so that video review of the incident could occur immediately after each fall.

“According to the Alzheimer’s Association Report (2016), fall injury is the leading cause of Alzheimer dementia–related hospitalizations, with $5.3 billion in annual cost to Medicare,” said Glen Xiong, Advisory Board Member for SafelyYou. “In residential care facilities, individuals with dementia fall, on average, four times per year and twice as often as other residents. Falls often go unwitnessed. Due to uncertainty regarding the seriousness of each fall, facility staff frequently activate local emergency medical teams to examine the residents, and such visits often result in emergency department visits.”

The study, supported in part by a National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Aging Small Business Innovation Research Grant, was conducted with enrolled participants on June 1 to Aug. 31, 2018. Fall incidents and outcomes were routinely recorded for facility residents, and facility staff reviewed the falls in real time, immediately after each incident, for study participants.

Among 147 falls in the control group, 52 (35.4%) resulted in EMT visits and 36 (24.5%) resulted in ED visits. In contrast, the intervention group had 83 falls, with 13 (15.7%) and seven (8.3%) resulting in EMT and ED visits, respectively. There were relative reductions of 75% in EMT visits and 80% in ED visits.

The AI-enabled camera fall detection system coupled with staff review of fall videos led to more accurate identification of serious falls and incidents compared with less serious falls, such as when a resident intentionally moved to the ground but did not fall.

“Using emergency services less frequently leads to lowered healthcare costs and stress for everyone,” said George Netscher, CEO of SafelyYou. “Speaking with families and hearing the testimonials is really the very best part of our day.”

For more information on the pilot study results, visit: American Journal of Managed Care. To learn more about reducing falls and ED visits for residents in memory care, contact [email protected].

SOURCE SafelyYou