Under evaluation with potential for adoption
Patient monitoring to reduce and detect falls
Connexin Health offer a range of digital health solutions, including a wearable device to monitior individuals at risk of falling.
Falls are one of the major causes of injury for the elderly, often resulting in fractured hips. Hip fractures alone account for 1.8 million hospital bed days and £1.1 billion in hospital costs every year, excluding the high cost of social care. The 2019 data from the National Hip Fracture Database shows (crude) 30 day mortality rate of 6.5%, also, 30% of people who had a hip fracture did not return to original residence within 120 days of their injury.
About
This device can prevent falls leading to injury, including fractured neck of femur in vulnerable groups.
The wearable device is fitted with an accelerometer to detect falls when they which sends out an alert to carers.
The solution can be complemented with a wearable device that detects the gait of a person to assess their mobility and may inform carers when the person is at greater risk of falling (the device registers that the person is becoming more unstable when walking). The use of a walking aid may be necessary or when an individual becomes too unstable additional home care may be required. This can extend an individuals independence by giving assurance of their capabilities via the digital solution.
The device is a useful tool for people living alone and at risk of falling, or as an early warning system to carers for people in care homes who may be at increased risk of fall, ensuring an early response system.
Many patients in hospital fall e.g. 3.7% of all hip fractures (2019 data) recorded these had occured whilst an inpatient. The device can be complemented with a matress sensor which sends an alert to staff, when the patient leaves the bed, potentially avoiding injury. This device could be deployed in the home and care home setting too.
