Are hospital patients prone to develop bed sores?
Patients in hospitals encounter many of the same problems as nursing home patients. Although most commonly associated with nursing homes, patients in hospitals and rehab facilities are particularly susceptible to bed sores because many facilities focus on acute medical conditions and fail to address patients daily living needs. Many hospitals simply fail to train their staff on how to prevent, identify and treat bed sores. A recent study conducted by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality determined that the rate of hospital-acquired bed sores has increased over the last decade. According to the report, the rate of hospital-acquired bed sores (also called decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers or pressure sores) has increased 80% from 1993 to 2006. Among the more disturbing ‘highlights’ in the report are: • In 2006, there were 503,300 hospital stays with pressure ulcers noted as a diagnosis–an increase of nearly 80% since 1993. • On an annual basis pressure ulcer stays total $11 bil
