Comments on: Q: Which multi-factor tool should we use for falls risk assessment? http://blogs.beaconhealth.org/oasis-c/2010/06/q-which-multi-factor-tool-should-we-use-for-fall-risk-assessment/ Making OASIS-C implementation easy with current updates, guidance and support from home health experts. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 19:34:11 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Brenda Shaffer http://blogs.beaconhealth.org/oasis-c/2010/06/q-which-multi-factor-tool-should-we-use-for-fall-risk-assessment/comment-page-1/#comment-332 Brenda Shaffer Fri, 09 Jul 2010 18:41:09 +0000 http://blogs.beaconhealth.org/oasis-c/?p=2071#comment-332 CMS in their April OASIS-C Q&A's stated if the "validated tool" did not show a risk for a patient fall that despite the answers to the "multifactoral" portion of the complete fall risk assessment, the answer to the OASIS question would be No risk for falls. Chapter 3 dictates that a multifactoral, validated tool be used. We know there is no tool to date. Why would Medicare want us to answer this question as a no risk for falls based only on one portion of their requirement. That being the validated portion. The validated tools are not multifactoral. We should not be judging patient safety on just one requirement and not the other. CMS in their April OASIS-C Q&A’s stated if the “validated tool” did not show a risk for a patient fall that despite the answers to the “multifactoral” portion of the complete fall risk assessment, the answer to the OASIS question would be No risk for falls.

Chapter 3 dictates that a multifactoral, validated tool be used. We know there is no tool to date. Why would Medicare want us to answer this question as a no risk for falls based only on one portion of their requirement. That being the validated portion. The validated tools are not multifactoral. We should not be judging patient safety on just one requirement and not the other.

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