Calculating fall rates: methodological concerns.

The variety of methods used to determine and report patient fall rates has made it difficult for health care providers to compare fall rates between institutions and patient care areas. The two most common methods for calculating fall rates--the patient fall rate and the number of patients-at-risk--as well as alternative strategies using injury rates rather than fall rates are discussed and evaluated. The study recommends a classification system for injuries and suggests that until a universal index for fall rates is used, data be reported in various forms.