GN Otometrics, Shaumburg, Ill, has teamed up with Fall Prevention Clinics of America, Naperville, Ill, to help reduce mortality rates from falls-induced injuries, the fifth leading cause of death among seniors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year reported that falls-induced deaths have increased 39% from 1999 through 2005. To help curb the trend, physicians are working with Medicare’s initiatives for fall prevention and diagnostic equipment, such as GN Otometrics’ Chartr systems.
Medical offices use the system to diagnose and define treatment protocols for people who experience
dizziness and balance dysfunction, said Michael Bearce, executive director of Fall Prevention Clinics of America.
The joint effort between the companies seeks to usher in the best practice of medical experience and technological advantage for physicians seeking in-office diagnostic solutions for the epidemic of injuries and deaths caused by falls.
“A new generation of diagnostic balance assessment devices will enable more physicians to take part in fall prevention," said Soren Holst, GN Otometrics’ president. The company’s latest equipment communicates
diagnostic data directly through the Internet, allowing physicians to share diagnostic assessments with balance specialists from Fall Prevention Clinics.
Copenhagen-based GN Otometrics is a manufacturer of hearing and balance instruments and software. Fall Prevention Clinics of America specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of dizziness and balance
dysfunction among people of all ages.
