Health Outcomes: Injurious Falls/Hip Fractures and Healthcare Utilization and Expenditures

One side effect of the use of sleep medications is an increased risk of falls. Thus, injurious falls requiring medical services or hip fractures, as a combined measure, were defined from suggested Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) diagnoses codes [37]. Falls or hip fractures were documented from these selected diagnoses codes at any time during each calendar year, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

A second health outcome associated with sleep medication initiation and use is a defined medical event evident in healthcare utilization and subsequent expenditures. Healthcare utilization was defined from administrative medical claims as an inpatient admission or emergency room visit at any time during each calendar year, 2014, 2015 and 2016. Healthcare expenditures were defined as annual paid claims aggregated from Medicare, Medicare Supplement, and patient out-of-pocket paid amounts. Prescription drug expenditures included Medicare Part D plan paid and patient drug copayments.