The incidence of serious pressure ulcers and injuries in hospitalized patients has steadily fallen over the past four years, according to new analysis of The Leapfrog Group's hospital survey results.
Castlight Health analyzed data from Leapfrog's voluntary hospital survey to find how hospitals are doing when it comes to preventing pressure ulcers.
Here are four findings from the report, released Thursday.
1. Patients are suffering fewer hospital-acquired pressure ulcers. In 2013, the average rate of pressure ulcers was 0.122 per 1,000 inpatient discharges, but that fell to 0.102 per 1,000 discharges in 2016.
2. Injuries like falls are also on the decline. For the report, Leapfrog defined hospital-acquired injuries as falls or other traumatic events like broken or dislocated bones, crushing injuries or burns. In 2013, the average was 0.521 injuries per 1,000 discharges, and that rate dropped to 0.419 per 1,000 discharges in 2016 — a nearly 20 percent improvement.
3. Lives and money are at stake. The gains made in pressure ulcers and hospital-acquired injuries have saved 49 lives and more than $33 million from 2013 to 2016. However, if all hospitals reduced pressure ulcer and hospital-acquired injury rates to zero, 263 lives and $175 million could have been saved.
4. There is still room for improvement. Despite the progress made, "most of these incidences are preventable by simply taking appropriate precautions, such as following recommended protocols regarding skin care and turning/repositioning patients or implementing bathroom schedules and fall-proofing hospital rooms," the report reads.