Preventable bedsores in nursing homes and hospitals
Bedsores are becoming an increasingly more common problem, and Medicare officials now indicate that they may not reimburse hospitals and nursing homes for treatment of the preventable condition which is often caused by a medical mistake. Clear protocals have existed for years to prevent bedsores, but neglect and poor care continue to allow the sores to develop into a severe problem which can cause infection and possibly even death.
>>INFORMATION: Bedsore Lawsuits
Also known as pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, bedsores are caused by prolonged pressure on one area of the skin. The pressure on the skin causes the tissue to die off, resulting in the development of large open wounds which are susceptible to infection.
Healthy individuals are able to constantly adjust their own body, preventing the skin from decaying under the pressure of the body. However, elderly and ill who are confined to a hospital or nursing home may not be able to reposition themselves. They rely on their nurses to prevent them from being kept in the same position for hours on end and to closely examine the body for signs of developing bedsores.
Medicare has recently indicated that they will no longer pay for certain hospital mistakes, and they indicate that they may not issue reimbursement for treatment of preventable bedsores. Officials hope that including this condition in the new Medicare rules will result in closer attention by nurses and doctors to the patients’ skin and lead to a better quality of care at hospitals and nursing homes.
Bedsores not only have devastating consequences for the victim, but are also an expensive problem which is becoming more and more common. According to Medicare records, the average cost associated with bedsore treatment is over $40,000.00. According to a 2006 study by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the number of bedsores in U.S. hospitals in 2003 (455,000) was 63% higher than the previous decade.
PREVENTABLE BEDSORES
Bedsores are preventable if the hospital or nursing home does not allow the body to exert pressure on a single area for an extended period of time. When nursing staff are undertrained, insufficiently supervised and inadequately equipped to monitor all of the residents, patients can be left unattended in one position for hours on end. This results in in pressure on elbows, heels and backs which can quickly result in the development of a bedsore. Likewise, failure to recognize clear early signs of a bedsore could allow the pressure area to progress into an open and festering ulcer.
The nursing home lawyers at Saiontz & Kirk, P.A. investigate claims for bedsores which develop in hospitals and long term care facilities. If you, a friend or loved one suffered a bedsore as a result of poor care or medical mistakes, compensation may be available. Request a free claim evaluation.
