Pressure Ulcers, Bed Sores and Decubitus Ulcers Come At An Annual Cost of $11 Billion because of Elder Abuse and Neglect

Written by Adam Peck Category: Elder Law January 26th, 2013 2 min read

Uninterrupted pressure exerted on the skin, soft tissue, muscle, and bone can lead to the development of localized ischemia, tissue inflammation, tissue anoxia, and necrosis. Pressure ulcers, Bed Sores also known as Decubitus Ulcers can result from these effects; about 3 million adults in the United States suffer from pressure ulcers, bed sores and decubitus ulcers. Estimates of the incidence of pressure ulcers vary according to the setting and range from 0.4 to 38.0 percent in acute-care hospitals, from 2.2 to 23.9 percent in long-term nursing facilities, and from 0 to 17 percent in the home-care setting.

Various systems have been used to assess the severity of pressure ulcers, but most use a four-stage categorization with higher numbers indicating higher severity. Healing rates of pressure ulcers vary considerably and are dependent on comorbidities, clinical interventions, and severity of the ulcer. This variability can add to the length of hospitalization and impede the return of patients to full functioning. Data on the costs of treatment for a pressure ulcer vary, but some estimates range between $37,800 and $70,000, with total annual costs in the United States as high as $11 billion.

Interventions to treat pressure ulcers are numerous and diverse and include strategies such as reducing pressure with various support surfaces, wound debridement and cleansing, surgical repair, and the use of various wound dressings, various biologic agents, and nutritional supplementation.In addition, various adjunctive therapies have been evaluated, including vacuum-assisted closure, ultrasound therapy, electrical stimulation, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The approach to treatment typically varies, depending on the stage of the wound and patient-related factors such as the existence of particular comorbidities says California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyer Steven Peck.

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Written by Adam Peck

Expertise: Personal Injury

Adam J. Peck, ESQ is a principal with Peck Law Group, APC. In 2008, Mr. Adam Peck received his Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School where he graduated Cum Laude. His practice is primarily dedicated to representing Elders, Dependent Adults, along with their loved ones and family members, who have suffered horrific personal injuries.