How Are the Costs of Care for Medical Falls Distributed? The Costs of Medical Falls by Component of Cost, Timing, and Injury Severity

This article examines the cost components that drive increased total costs after a medical fall over time, by severity of injury. The study found that large cost increases after a fall that resulted in hospitalization are mainly associated with inpatient and postacute care, while cost spikes after a fall that did not result in hospitalization are due to outpatient, ambulatory surgery, and community health services. However, the components driving cost increases varied throughout the year after the medical fall.