Effects of heelless footwear interventions to prevent trips through multidisciplinary cooperation

Abstract

The prevention of trips is extremely important. However, the risks associated with the use of heelless footwear including slippers are not fully recognized by patients and healthcare professionals. At TOYOTA Memorial Hospital, a team called “Triangle no Kai,” comprised of members from various professions, led intra-hospital efforts to prevent medical accidents. They worked on the prevention of trips, with a focus on footwear. The team created “Best Shot,” a guide to standardize a safe care environment in terms of walking around, and then made a round of inspection. They created an informational leaflet on footwear for patient enlightenment. They promoted awareness among all the staff by presenting the risk of trips associated with wearing slippers via the hospital's intranet. No significant decrease was noted in the reported number of trips. However, there were no more serious accidents leading to severe physical injuries. Our experience suggests that preventive activities to eliminate the risk of footwear-related trips are effective.