Join us for a conversation with nurse executive and healthtech innovator Patrick Baker shares the story behind Palarum's smart sock—an advanced wearable that's dramatically reducing patient falls without adding to clinical workload. With insights shaped by decades on the frontlines, Baker walks us through how alarm fatigue, design thinking, and data transparency inspired a smarter approach to patient safety. We explore how real-time mobility tracking, clinical workflow integration, and human-centered innovation are shifting the paradigm in hospital care. Whether you're in nursing leadership, patient safety, or digital health innovation, this conversation offers a blueprint for rethinking fall prevention and mobility as a strategic advantage.
Key Takeaways
- Our goal was to reduce patient falls by 20-25%.
- We've exceeded 40,000 patient days with our socks.
- We had zero patient falls at Ohio State during the trial.
- The smart sock alerts nurses when patients get up.
- We aim to document patient mobility accurately.
- Every patient gets a pair of socks for safety.
- The technology helps mitigate hospital costs from falls.
- Remote monitoring is the future of patient safety.
- We need to address alarm fatigue in hospitals.
- Effective fall prevention requires a strategic approach.
Episode Highlights
00:00 Introduction to Patrick Baker and Palarum
02:15 From CNO to Inventor: The Origins of the Smart Sock
05:48 Why Traditional Fall Prevention Methods Fail
07:33 The Epiphany Moment: Bed Alarms and Alarm Fatigue
10:45 Building a Smart Sock: Design, Sensors, and Accuracy
13:09 Real-World Results: 60%+ Reduction in Patient Falls
15:32 Clinical Trial Insights and Fall Rate Benchmarks
18:43 The ROI Conversation: Costs, Sitters, and FTEs
21:27 Rethinking Hospital Surveillance Strategies
23:15 The Power of Real-Time Staff Proximity Alerts
25:05 Future Vision: Patient Mobility and EMR Integration
27:18 How to Connect with Palarum and What's Next
Guest: Patrick Baker - Palarum
Host: Gregg Malkary - Spyglass Consulting Group
Cohost: Keith Washington - Companions in Courage Foundation
Sponsored by: Simplifi Medical & Storage Systems Unlimited
Audio/Video: Tim Jones - Health Nuts Media
Marketing: Josh Troop - Troop-Creative
Learn More at: www.beyond-blueprint.com
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