4 Aug 2008 in Patient Safety
Hospitals, long-term care providers, and home care agencies are challenged by the frequent occurrence of pressure ulcers, their complications, and the significant impact on the cost of health care. There is clear evidence that the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers can be reduced by an approach focused on general risk assessment, frequent skin assessment for at-risk patients, turning and repositioning, pressure reduction devices and techniques, nutrition, skin cleansing and moisturizing, and diligent wound care. The challenge for healthcare providers lies in integrating these proven best practices into systems of care that are consistently followed and communicated among one another.
The Pennsylvania Pressure Ulcer Partnership is a statewide collaborative identified through the efforts of various trade associations and other nursing home and hospital quality improvement organizations involved in programs such as the IHI 5 Million Lives Campaign and the Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Home Campaign. Together, we have identified experts across the care continuum, including wound and skin care specialists and other healthcare providers to provide a comprehensive approach to the identification, prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers within the Commonwealth.As a program launch, three regional education sessions were offered in October to the healthcare community including both acute and long-term care facilities and home health organizations. Attendees of these interactive day–long sessions heard about the latest evidence in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment from national experts, learned practical and effective prevention strategies, and planned next steps for their own organizations in reducing the incidence and severity of pressure ulcers. Attendees were encouraged to commit to ongoing Partnership activities, including a baseline and follow-up self-assessment survey, participation in state-wide educational conference calls, monthly data collection and submission, and participation in networking/coaching calls. These activities are scheduled to begin in late November and will run through 2009.
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