EP35 Revolutionizing Patient Safety: A Deep Dive Into Wearable Technology - Patrick Baker, RN (Palarum)

Beyond the Blueprint - Better Healthtech By Design

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