Journal of the American Medical Directors Association
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A clinical study was conducted to measure the effectiveness and operational characteristics of a new device intended to reduce the incidence of falls in elderly patients at high risk of falling. The NOC.watch device consists of a credit-card size device contained within an adhesive "patch"worn on the thigh continuously for many days. The patch is small, wireless, disposable, waterproof, shockproof, and unobtrusive. When a patient's leg becomes weight-bearing (such as when a patient gets out of bed or stands up unassisted), the receiver emits an audible signal which both alerts the patient to sit down and also summons a caregiver. ⋯ The prototype NOC.watch device appears to have a large impact on reducing fall risk in nursing home patients, with minimal adverse effects. However, due to the lack of an equivalent control group, these results should be confirmed with a larger, randomized, controlled study to better estimate the true magnitude of the effect of the NOC.watch device on fall rates.