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dc.contributor.authorComans, Tracy A
dc.contributor.authorCurrin, Michelle L
dc.contributor.authorQuinn, Jamie
dc.contributor.authorTippett, Vivienne
dc.contributor.authorRogers, Anthea
dc.contributor.authorHaines, Terry P
dc.date.accessioned2017-05-03T14:57:43Z
dc.date.available2017-05-03T14:57:43Z
dc.date.issued2013
dc.date.modified2014-08-28T22:16:39Z
dc.identifier.issn1353-8047
dc.identifier.doi10.1136/injuryprev-2011-040076
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10072/45645
dc.description.abstractBackground and aim Falls are the leading cause of injury in older adults. Identifying people at risk before they experience a serious fall requiring hospitalisation allows an opportunity to intervene earlier and potentially reduce further falls and subsequent healthcare costs. The purpose of this project was to develop a referral pathway to a community falls-prevention team for older people who had experienced a fall attended by a paramedic service and who were not transported to hospital. It was also hypothesised that providing intervention to this group of clients would reduce future falls-related ambulance call-outs, emergency department presentations and hospital admissions. Methods An education package, referral pathway and follow-up procedures were developed. Both services had regular meetings, and work shadowing with the paramedics was also trialled to encourage more referrals. A range of demographic and other outcome measures were collected to compare people referred through the paramedic pathway and through traditional pathways. Results Internal data from the Queensland Ambulance Service indicated that there were approximately six falls per week by community-dwelling older persons in the eligible service catchment area (south west Brisbane metropolitan area) who were attended to by Queensland Ambulance Service paramedics, but not transported to hospital during the 2-year study period (2008-2009). Of the potential 638 eligible patients, only 17 (2.6%) were referred for a falls assessment. Conclusion Although this pilot programme had support from all levels of management as well as from the service providers, it did not translate into actual referrals. Several explanations are provided for these preliminary findings.
dc.description.peerreviewedYes
dc.description.publicationstatusYes
dc.format.extent115190 bytes
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdf
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherBMJ Group
dc.publisher.placeUnited Kingdom
dc.relation.ispartofstudentpublicationN
dc.relation.ispartofpagefrom134
dc.relation.ispartofpageto138
dc.relation.ispartofissue2
dc.relation.ispartofjournalInjury Prevention
dc.relation.ispartofvolume19
dc.rights.retentionY
dc.subject.fieldofresearchSports science and exercise
dc.subject.fieldofresearchcode4207
dc.titleProblems with a great idea: referral by prehospital emergency services to a community-based falls-prevention service
dc.typeJournal article
dc.type.descriptionC1 - Articles
dc.type.codeC - Journal Articles
gro.facultyGriffith Health, School of Medicine
gro.rights.copyright© The Author(s) 2011. The attached file is reproduced here in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher. For information about this journal please refer to the journal's website or contact the authors.
gro.date.issued2013
gro.hasfulltextFull Text
gro.griffith.authorComans, Tracy


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