Case Study: Mission Health achieves zero patient falls and $4.8M in sitter cost avoidance with Cerner Patient Observer (Cerner)

Mission Health reduces falls to zero, calls the $4.8 million in cost avoidance only the beginning

Mission Health, an Asheville, N.C. health system, faced a persistent falls problem on its Neurosciences unit that increased lengths of stay, liability and unreimbursed costs and relied on expensive one-to-one sitters. To address this, the Mission Center for Innovation piloted a targeted falls-risk program using Cerner Patient Observer across six beds over a 3‑month period.

Using remote 3D cameras, motion zones and two‑way audio to let one technician monitor multiple patients, the pilot reduced falls from an average of four per month to zero. The 94‑day test avoided about $103,380 in sitter costs and projects $4.8 million in annual sitter cost avoidance with enterprise expansion; Mission Health plans further roll‑out and integration with Cerner’s communication tools.

Mission Health

Marc Westle

Senior vice president