Pressure Ulcers: It is really just about Money!

Dan Frith

Contributor

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It is not about the pain suffered by residents with pressure ulcers (also called decubitus ulcers or bed sores).

It is not about the the loss of dignity when you have to be rolled over in bed and your backside cleaned by two nurses wearing gloves and surgical masks.

It is not about the horrendous smell which comes from rotting human tissue.

Do you want to know what it is all about? It is about the "financial impact" such ulcers have on the owners of the nursing home. Here is what a blog on the Long Term Living website had to say about pressure ulcers and money:

The financial impact of pressure ulcers on medical facilities cannot be ignored from both a cost of care standpoint as well as from litigation related expenses and judgments. Every pressure ulcer related hospitalization averages 13 days with a cost of $37,500. Pressure ulcer care and treatment cost medical facilities an estimated $11 billion per year.

Lawsuits and litigation expenses related to pressure ulcers pose an equal, if not greater, financial risk to facilities. From a litigation standpoint, plaintiffs’ lawyers revel in the fact that Medicare has put pressure ulcers on the “never list.” The never list is comprised of medical conditions deemed so preventable CMS will not reimburse facilities where the condition develops for subsequent medical treatment.

My Take: Nursing Home owners just don't get it! Stop focusing on how much money you need to make and start focusing on caring for your residents.