Pressure ulcers affect 2.5 million patients annually, and approximately 60,000 patients die each year as a direct result of a pressure ulcer, according to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The complexity of pressure ulcer care requires a systematic approach that may require organizational changes, AHRQ notes in Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals: A Toolkit for Improving Quality of Care .
The following conditions may indicate that a prevention program is necessary:
- A significant increase in pressure ulcer rates
- Notable adverse events that were pressure-ulcer related
- Pressure-ulcer related legal actions targeted at a health organization
Pressure Ulcer Costs
