Empowering Healthcare Teams to Prevent Fall-Related Harm and Protect Patients
Falls remain one of the most common—and preventable—causes of patient harm. With new federal reporting requirements on the horizon, preventing falls is no longer just a patient safety priority—it’s a financial and reputational imperative.
Starting in January 2026, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is collecting moderate and major injury falls data under the new Hospital Harm – Falls with Injury electronic clinical quality measure (eCQM). Beginning in 2027, many hospitals will be required to report this measure, with their performance directly affecting payment adjustments and overall star ratings.
Hospitals must now strengthen their fall prevention programs by applying evidence-based interventions consistently while delivering safer, more reliable care.
That’s where ECRI’s SafeSystemSM Solutions come in. ECRI partners with healthcare organizations to apply advanced safety science and data-driven expertise, building robust, sustainable systems that embed safety into everyday culture and operations. Leveraging ECRI’s proprietary database of more than 8 million adverse events and over 7,000 root cause analyses, our experts help organizations apply systems thinking and accountability for system design—ensuring that safety is engineered into processes, not left to individual performance. Through this approach, grounded in the principles of just culture, ECRI helps organizations reduce fall-related injuries, build safer systems, and stay ahead of CMS accountability measures.
Driving Measurable Improvements Across Care Settings
Community Hospitals in Florida: Building a Culture of Prevention
Two Florida-based community hospitals set out to reduce fall rates by 10% and establish a sustainable culture of prevention. With ECRI's fall prevention assessments, education sessions, and action planning tools, they mobilized staff engagement and leadership oversight. A targeted "Boot Camp" integrated hands-on learning and collaborative planning.
Results: Fall rates dropped 33% overall, exceeding the goal—with some units achieving up to 50% improvement.
Women's Hospital: Eliminating Mother and Infant Falls
A Florida academic women's hospital faced an increase in maternal falls and infant drops. Using ECRI's root cause analysis tools, a multidisciplinary team identified contributing factors—particularly improper bassinet use—and implemented a prevention bundle. Interventions included standardized equipment, retraining, quiet hours, and data-driven awareness campaigns.
Results: The hospital achieved a 100% reduction in falls and drops, maintaining over 140 consecutive days without incidents, while improving staff and patient satisfaction.
Telemetry Unit in New Jersey: Strengthening Safety Through Team Engagement
At a large academic medical center, a busy telemetry unit partnered with ECRI to address high fall rates linked to staffing turnover and medication risks. Nurse leaders developed a tailored prevention program that included patient education, environmental modifications, hourly rounding audits, and a focused Fall Prevention Education Week.
Results: Falls decreased from 16 (2.37 rate) in 2020 to 4 (0.31 rate) in 2022, earning leadership recognition and positive family feedback.
Partnering for Sustainable Change
The new CMS falls eCQM heightens the urgency for hospitals to prevent harm and demonstrate performance through accurate electronic reporting. As fall outcomes become tied to payment and public transparency, reliable and system-wide prevention has never been more critical.
ECRI’s SafeSystem Solutions provide independent, data-driven expertise to help organizations meet regulatory demands, evaluate interventions’ effectiveness, and sustain improvement over time. Drawing on decades of experience and a proprietary database of millions of adverse events, ECRI helps healthcare organizations identify effective strategies, reduce fall-related injuries and other preventable harm, and embed accountability for safety into everyday operations. From acute care to senior living, our consultants help teams align compliance, safety, and operational excellence.
Protect patients, support clinicians, and reduce preventable harm—while preparing for the new CMS requirements.
Partner with ECRI to strengthen safety systems and achieve what matters most: safer care for every patient.