Falls resulting in patient harm in hospital are regarded as adverse events, some of which may be preventable. They can be used as one indicator of safety for hospitals.
In 2009–10, there were about 20,000 separations for which a fall was recorded as occurring in a health service area (Figure 29), an overall rate of about 2.4 per 1,000 separations. The rate was higher in public hospitals than in private hospitals (3.1 and 1.3 per 1,000, respectively). This may reflect differences between public and private hospitals in what they do and who they treat.
These rates may underestimate falls occurring in hospitals, as the place of occurrence was not reported for about 24% of separations with a fall recorded. However, it is also possible that these rates may overestimate falls, as it is not possible to distinguish between falls in hospitals, and falls in other health service areas (such as general practitioner clinics).
Figure 29: Falls resulting in patient harm in hospitals, per 1,000 separations, public and private hospitals, 2009–10
