This report provides insight into injuries that occur during a period of hospitalisation, referred to as hospital-onset injuries. It examines hospital-onset injuries among admitted patients in Australian hospitals from 2015–16 to 2024–25. The report also explores the types and causes of injuries, as well as differences in patient outcomes between those who sustained injuries during their hospital stay and those who did not.
- Cat. no: INJCAT 243
Key findings
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Between 2015–16 and 2024–25, hospital-onset injuries were documented in one out of every 182 hospital separations
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Half of hospital-onset injuries were caused by falls, which most often resulted in open wounds or superficial injuries
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Hospital-onset injury rates increased with longer periods of hospitalisation
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The presence of a hospital-onset injury was associated with an additional increase in length of stay