Evaluating Emergency Department Transfers for Falls in Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Single-Site Observational Study of Witnessed and Unwitnessed Falls

Falls are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among older adults, with residents of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs) at a particularly high risk. Although emergency department (ED) transfers after falls are common, they carry risks of delirium, infection, and care fragmentation. The objective of this study is to compare ED transfer rates between witnessed and unwitnessed falls in SNFs.