ASHRM Risk Manager Survey Shows Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers (HAPUs) Pose a Serious, Expensive Problem that's Growing

PLEASANTON, Calif., Oct. 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- A survey of risk and quality managers attending the ASHRM 2018 Annual Conference found that hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) increased at more than 23% of respondents' hospitals – and 75% of respondents said the real cost of every pressure ulcer exceeds $100,000.

The survey, conducted during the ASHRM Conference in Nashville from Oct. 7-10, is the first study of hospital risk and quality managers since the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) issued an update report in June on the incidence of hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) in the United States. That federal report found that HAPUs are the country's fastest-growing HAC, increasing by 10% nationally. The dramatic growth in pressure ulcers comes as HACs overall declined by 8% nationwide.

AHRQ's report found the average cost of treating a pressure ulcer is about $14,500.  However, 40.4% of respondents estimated their hospitals spend more than $25,000 just to treat each pressure ulcer patient – and 75% said their hospitals' total cost for each pressure ulcer exceeds $100,000. That total cost estimate includes the cost of treatment, litigation, penalties and reputational damage. The survey found:

• 42.3% of respondents said each pressure injury costs their hospital $101,000 to $250,000.
• 23.1% said each pressure injury costs $251,000 to $500,000.
• 9.6% said each pressure injury costs more than $500,000.

AHRQ reports that serious HAPUs affect more than 700,000 patients a year and add more than $10.23 billion to annual U.S. healthcare costs. The economic impact of pressure ulcers is now greater than falls, surgical site infections (SSI), ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP), deep vein thrombosis (DVT), central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI), adverse drug events (ADE) and obstetric adverse events, combined. The AHRQ estimates the combined annual cost for these other HACs is $10.18 billion.

"According to the recent AHRQ analysis, rates of pressure ulcers are increasing faster than any other hospital-acquired condition," said Barrett Larson, Leaf Healthcare co-founder and CEO. "Pressure ulcers are a tenacious problem, but our ability to prevent them has improved significantly with the advent of new patient monitoring technology."

The Leaf Patient Monitoring System has been used to track the mobility of more than 20,000 patients for more than 2 million hours and was recently shown in a large randomized trial to reduce the number of hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) by up to 74%.

Other studies have shown the Leaf System improves patient turning and mobility, reduces pressure injury rates, helps nurses prioritize patient care, improves unit workflow, and saves hospitals non-reimbursed costs associated with the treatment of pressure injuries.

The Leaf System, the first FDA-cleared medical technology that continuously monitors patient activity and position to identify those who could benefit from repositioning, has been deployed in healthcare facilities across the United States since 2014.  The innovative Leaf System tracks patient movement and activity in bed-bound, chair-bound, and ambulatory patients.

About Leaf Healthcare, Inc.

Leaf Healthcare is a medical technology company dedicated to preventing hospital-acquired pressure injuries/ulcers and other immobility-related complications, which are some of the most common and costly hospital-acquired conditions. Several studies have shown that the FDA-cleared Leaf Patient Monitoring System is a powerful tool that reduces hospital-acquired pressure injuries/ulcers, allows providers to prioritize care, and helps provide a safer environment for patients. The Leaf System is available through Leaf Healthcare and Smith & Nephew. To learn more, visit www.leafhealthcare.com

Media Contact:
Mark Smith
Leaf Healthcare
844-826-5323
[email protected]

Jim Martinez
312-543-9026
[email protected]

SOURCE Leaf Healthcare Inc.

Related Links

http://www.leafhealthcare.com