New EPIC Post-fall Workflow

By Ben Fornshell, RN, BSN, patient safety coordinator, Miami Valley Hospital; and Erin Greene, MS, APRN, ACNS-BC, CCRN, advanced practice provider manager, Miami Valley Hospital

Patient falls are the most common preventable adverse events in hospitalized patients, affecting 700,000–1 million patients annually in the U.S. About 25% result in injury, and 10% of those injuries are serious, including fractures, lacerations, dislodged lines, and intracranial hemorrhages. Fractures are reportable to CMS as PSI 08, prompting quality review, root cause analysis, and follow-up action.

A review of post-fall workflows identified a gap in follow-up care for injury falls. To address this, Miami Valley Hospital implemented a post-fall order panel and post-fall provider note template in EPIC. These tools are designed to:

• Standardize communication across shifts and handoffs
• Ensure timely diagnostic imaging and interventions
• Identify injuries that may not be immediately apparent

Order Panel: Found in EPIC under Manage Orders by searching “fall”, the panel consolidates commonly needed post-fall orders to streamline workflow.

Provider Post-Fall Note: Available as a dot phrase (.FALLPROVIDER) in EPIC Notes, this template guides post-fall documentation, ensuring complete and standardized charting.

Providers were engaged throughout development to ensure usability and alignment with clinical workflows. Their feedback was invaluable in creating tools that enhance patient safety, improve communication, and support timely post-fall care.

Questions? Email Ben Fornshell befornshel@PremierHealth.com or Shelby Kelzer sckelzer@premierhealth.com.

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