BEDSORES — A BILLION DOLLAR PROBLEM?

According to the National Ducubitus Foundation, over one million people each year suffer from potentially fatal bedsores. When viewed in a hospital setting, the same studies show that approximately 10% patients at any given time are inflicted with bedsores. While this figure is shocking in of itself, the real number is probably higher because many of the medical facilities with a history of preventable bedsores did not participate in this study.

Admittedly, some cases of bedsores are unavoidable; however, a good majority of bedsores in hospitals and nursing homes are the result of pure negligence. For instance, when a nursing home resident is left to sit for 8 hours in urine soaked sheets and clothes and develops a bedsore as a result, that is negligence. When a nurse can not move her patient every two hours because the hospital is understaffed and the patient gets a bedsore, that is negligence. In cases such as these, just a little bit of attention and a few extra staff members would have done the trick.

Typically, when medical facilities are confronted with these facts, the usual response is that they cannot afford additional personnel or equipment for bedsore prevention. This is especially true in a nursing home setting, where corners are cut everywhere possible because of budget concerns. But is this really a legitimate excuse? Should the hospitals and nursing homes get a free pass because they can”t afford to implement simple procedures that will ultimately save lives? Lets take a closer look at the math to decide.

Statistics show that in year 1994, there were 6,374 hospitals in the United States with an average of 177 beds per hospital. The occupancy rate of these hospitals is 66.1%. Therefore, given the math, on average 745,740 beds were occupied on any given day. When you compare the instances of bedsores related to the hospital population, you find that on any given day, there are approximately 80,000 patients with bedsores . When that number is multiplied by the average hospital stay for patients with bedsores of 27 days, you find that over 1,000,000 patients develop potentially fatal, yet preventable bedsores per year.

Furthermore, the costs associated with bedsore care are astronomical. For example, the average cost of a hospital stay for patient over 65 is about $2,360 per day. If this same elderly patient develops a bedsore, he is now projected to stay an additional 27 days. From a financial perspective, this calculates into $50,976 in extra medical costs per bedsore patient. Multiply that number by the 1,088,778 patients developing bedsores per year to get the astronomical number of $55,000,000 that is wasted on bedsore care! Shockingly, experts agree that this is a conservative estimate because bedsore patients are required to stay longer for skin grafting and infections. Add to the mix the thousands of other patients that actually die as a result of these bedsores. To their friends and family, the loss of that life is priceless.

The sad part is that based on the numbers presented above, hospitals and nursing homes can save $44,000,000 in health care costs just by preventing bedsores. This money can be used to invest in better technology and enough personnel to provide quality care to patients and long-term residents. That is why insurance companies such as Aetna and Wellpoint now refuse to reimburse medical facilities for the costs associated with bedsore care. And while I do not agree 100% with this policy, (I think it needs to be more of a case by case decision) it”s a start.

What is clear, however, is that families should not face the loss of an otherwise healthy loved one because a billion dollar medical facility would not hire 2 additional nurses to ensure proper staffing. Similarly, beautifully landscaped and manicured nursing homes have no right to medicate patients and leave them alone for hours at a time, only to cry poor when a resident dies from a bedsore infection. The math proves this is not the case and it’s time to use this information to improve the quality of life for hospital and nursing home residents in this country.

For further information on bedsore prevention and filing a lawsuit for nursing home neglect in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, click on the following links below:

New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer

Nursing Homes in Danger of Disappearing

According to a report from Connecticut, many nursing homes and their staff and services are in serious danger of being cut and even closed completely due to Medicare rate adjustments and other cuts as part of the health care reform. The president of the American Health Care Association even sees many nursing homes closing because of these cost cuts. The U.S. Census Bureau shows that 1.85 million people are now being taken care of in the nation’s 16,000 nursing homes and this is up from 1.79 million in 2007. This is clearly not the time to be cutting nursing home funding and closing nursing homes. Despite these figures though, many nursing homes, including twenty-four in Connecticut are being cut and closed due to rising costs and the challenge to keep big nursing homes running. Many people that are getting older, are disabled, and need the nursing home care are now turned away because of heavy debts and other problems. Many businesses are struggling due to the recession, but it may not be the best idea to include these types of cuts in health care reform especially since more people than ever need the care. We need to still remember people first and money second. If we do not help this long term care crisis, there will more injuries, problems, and improper health care not only now but every day all over the U.S. long into the future.

For more information on this nursing home crisis, you may visit this page.

If you feel that your loved ones have been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact a medical malpractice attorney right away. They will help you advocate for the rights and care of your loved ones and help you get them what they need.

Are Nursing Homes the Safest Places for our Loved Ones?

Putting a loved one in a nursing home is the toughest decision a family can ever make. We research on line, ask friends, nurses and visit the facility to make sure we are making the best decision. We would like to believe that when we spend time picking out a nursing home for our relative or loved one to go stay and live in for the rest of their lives that they are going to be well taken care of and looked after by properly trained and staffed nursing homes. We also would like to believe that they will receive the proper attention and medical care whenever such care and attention is needed. Unfortunately, many Nursing Homes put profits over patients. No matter where you live, nursing home and elderly abuse are a real problem in any state including New Jersey. It is important to understand the reasons for elderly abuse and nursing home abuse before we can begin to solve the problem. The following is list of some possible reasons for this type of abuse:

· Not enough staff

This may be due to not being able to pay people enough for the amount of work they do, or people left and went elsewhere to be closer to relatives, or the market for this type of work may be bad in some areas over other areas.

· Under qualified employees

Reasons for this might be that the employees never went through school for proper training, never received proper on the job training or attended training classes.

· Overworked employees

If there are not enough staff as mentioned before, the employees a nursing home does have may be working longer hours and may be tired, or even feeling ill when they come to work. This leads to employees not paying enough attention which can lead to abuse.

· Stress and Frustration

If an employee is stressed or frustrated on how to help a certain patient, this may lead to improper care and abuse. Training classes should be provided for these situations.

Some common signs of elderly abuse may include:

· Unexplained injuries or bruises

· Not receiving the proper doges of medications

· Cuts or welts

· poor nutrition and dehydration

· Unsanitary conditions

· Infections

· Sudden death

Bed sores and pressure ulcers

Sadly, these problems occur every day in even the nicest nursing homes and living facilities. There are different types of abuse. These can be physical, emotional, neglect, abandonment, emotional, or even financial. By putting profits over patient care, nursing home make millions for their investors while providing inadequate care.

The number of people suffering from elder abuse was 2.5 million in 1991, according to some studies from the National Center on Elder Abuse and this number will keep rising unless people become more aware of the problem and how to fix it.

If you or someone you love, you believe may have be a victim of this type of abuse, please call: (856) 833-0600 or contact a nursing home attorney for help today.

Do not be afraid to speak up and get the help you need for your loved ones; they deserve the best care possible and may be depending on you to help them fight for their rights.

For more information on nursing home abuse and what can be done visit:

Got to the New Jersey Nursing Home Directory for a list of deficieny reports on 361 Nursing Homes in New Jersey.

Another great resource is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services web site which lists Health Care tools and research.

How to Report Elder Abuse or Elder Neglect in NJ

Filing a report with the State of New Jersey in the event of nursing home neglect is the first step in pursuing a claim for elder abuse. The process is very simple and extremely helpful if you have considered taking legal action against the facility.

How It Works

When you call the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, a representative will discuss and document any problems or issues you are having with the particular nursing home facility. Based on your information, an investigator will be sent to the facility within ten (10) days to investigate the claim. The investigator will then review the patient’s chart, interview other patients in the facility and observe the general living conditions. Based on their findings, the investigator will issue a letter stating the nursing home was either deficient or not deficient in their care according to state/federal laws.

How Does Filing a Report Help My Legal Case?

A report from the state detailing the neglect or abuse experienced by your loved one is a credible piece of evidence in proving your case. The report may also uncover abuse or neglect that the family was not aware of at the time they made the claim.

Contact the NJ Department of Health And Senior Services:

To file a report, call 1(800) 792-9770.

Follow the prompts and press one (1) to file a complaint against a nursing home, hospital or assisted living facility.

Related Information:

New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

New Jersey Bedsores Lawyers

How to File a Hospital or Nursing Home Discharge Appeal With Medicare

If you believe that a Medicare patient is being inappropriately discharged from a hospital or nursing home facility, you must file the following procedure from the Department of Health and Human Services to appeal the decision:

Steps to Appeal Your Discharge:

Step 1: You must contact the Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) no later than your planned discharge date and before you leave the hospital. If you do this, you will not have to pay for the services you receive during the appeal (except for charges like co-pays and deductibles).

Here is the contact information for the QIO: (800) 624-4557 or tty 1-(877) 486-2048

You can file a request for an appeal any day of the week. Once you speak to someone or leave a message, your appeal has begun.

Ask the hospital if you need help contacting the QIO.

Step 2: You will receive a detailed notice from the hospital or your Medicare Advantage or other Medicare managed care plan (if you belong to one) that explains the reasons they think you are ready to be discharged.

Step 3: The QIO will ask for your opinion. You or your representative need to be available to speak with the QIO if requested. You or your representative may give the QIO a written statement, but you are not required to do so.

Step 4: The QIO will review your medical records and other important information about your case.

Step 5: The QIO will notify you of its decision within 1 day after it receives all necessary information.

if the QIO finds that you are not ready to be discharged, Medicare will continue to cover your hospital services

If the QIO finds that you are ready to be discharged, Medicare will continue to cover your services until noon of the day after the QIO notifies you of it’s decision.

IF YOU MISS THE DEADLINE TO APPEAL, YOU HAVE OTHER APPEAL RIGHTS:

You can still ask the QIO or your plan (if you belong to one) for a review of your case:
o If you have Original Medicare: Call the QIO listed above
o If you belong to a Medicare Advantage Plan or other Medicare managed care plan: Call your plan.

If you plan to stay in the hospital, the hospital may charge you for any services you receive after your planned discharge date.

For additional information, call 1-800-Medicare (663-4227) or TTY: 1-877-486-2048

Related Information:

Contact a nursing home abuse attorney

How To Treat A Bedsore

The development of a bedsore (or pressure sore) in an elderly or bedridden loved one can be a scary ordeal. Bedsores are painful and often require months of treatment before they heal. Bedsores can also be fatal if not cared for properly; therefore, it is important that family members are extremely involved in the treatment process.

The following list offers practical tips on how to treat a bedsore. Families can also use the list as a gauge to determine whether their loved one is receiving appropriate care from the nursing home or hospital staff. In addition, I encourage you to read ahead to the legal rights of a bedsore patient. Bedsores are a clear sign of neglect in nursing home or hospital setting. You have the legal right to hold these facilities accountable for the pain and suffering they have caused your loved one.

Bedsore Prevention Methods

Keep Moving– Ideally, a bedsore patient should move every 15 minutes to keep pressure off of the sore. If this frequency is not possible (as in the case of an immobile resident), the bedsore patient must be moved at least every two hours. He or she should also be kept off of the sore as much as possible. Special mattresses, foam blocks or special chairs may help keep your loved one comfortable during the repositioning process.
Keep it Clean– The bedsore should be cleaned with Saline solution and wrapped with an occlusive dressing. Occlusive dressing is a clear transparent bandage that can seal itself to the wound and is found at your local medical supply store. The bandage should also be left on for a few days before it is changed. If the dressing is changed too often, it will inhibit the body’s natural growth factors from connecting with the raw tissue.
Get Healthy– Malnutrition is common in bedsore patients. This condition contributes to the easy breakdown of the skin. To promote healing, the bedsore patient should eat plenty of protein, take 500 mg of Vitamin C supplements twice a day (as always, consult with a doctor before taking supplements) and drink 8 glass of water a day to prevent dehydration. It is a proven fact that patients who receive proper nutrition will not only heal faster, but will be less likely to get another bedsore in the future.

Legal Rights of a Bedsore Patient

Nursing homes and hospitals have specific guidelines aimed at preventing bedsores. Therefore, if a bedsore develops, it’s safe to conclude that someone was not following the rules. These sores are so unacceptable that insurance companies are now refusing to pay doctors for bedsore treatment.

The reason for this is simple—bedsores are easier to prevent than treat. In most cases, bedsores are just the result of carelessness and neglect. Fortunately, insurance companies are not the only ones taking a stand against such negligent behavior. Bedsore patients and family members have turned to the court system to hold hospitals and nursing homes responsible for the pain and suffering they have caused. And while the hospital or nursing home may insist that bedsores are unavoidable even under the best circumstances, nothing can be further than the truth.

How to Get Help

Your first priority is the physical health of your loved one. Once they are stable and being treated as recommended above, you should contact an elder abuse attorney to discuss your specific case. At Mininno Law Office, we use a unique team of medical and legal professionals that work together to cover every angle of your bedsore case. Our staff nurse will answer any medical questions you may have, while our team of elder abuse attorneys will fight aggressively for your rights in court.

To get started with our licensed RN, call toll-free (856) 833-0600 or fill out the case evaluation form on the right side of the page.

Related information:

New Jersey Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Bed Sore Resources for Patients

This blog sets out resources for Bed Sore Patients. As was revealed recently, bedsores and pressure ulcers cost society over $50 Billion dollars annually. See the Bed Sore Costs Billions article (that’s a 50 with 9 zeros after it!)

Fortunately, there are many professional organizations dedicated to education, awareness and prevention of bed sores. For example, the National Ducubitus Foundation, is a leader in bed sore research. Organizations like the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurse Society, the American Professional Wound Care Association, and the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) also work on publishing bed sore, pressure ulcer and nursing home abuse prevention guidelines for health care professionals.

The Mininno Law Office promotes bed sore awareness and patient advocacy. Check out Bed Sore Costs Billions, and Practical Tips for Avoiding Bed Sores.

The Mininno Law Office Ezine publication, Patients Advocate’s Guide to Preventing Bed Sores, has been widely distributed to bed sore patient families.

Check back each week for more bed sore and pressure sore resources.

Practical Advice For The Treatment of Bedsores and Pressure Sores

Although the treatment of bedsores can be very difficult and challenging, prevention and aggressive wound care is always the best option. Unfortunately, most patients fall victim to bedsores and pressure ulcers due to under-staffed nursing homes and poorly trained medical personnel. And while medical personnel may claim that they are doing all that they can do to fix the problem, there are some practical ways for family members to get involved to ensure that the potentially fatal bedsore does not get worse.

First, patients in nursing homes who develop bedsores and/or pressure sores should be immediately assessed for transfer to a medical facility. If the patient has only developed a stage one ulcer, this can be treated with conservative treatment. That treatment would consist of the following:

Immediately establish a turning and re-positioning schedule for the patient. This means that the patient should be moved every 15 minutes from one position to another.

Furthermore, the area in which the stage one ulcer has developed should be avoided all together. In addition, patients can use special cushions and pads to relieve pressure on the existing sores. These cushions consist of a variety of foam, air filled or water filled devices which cushion and protect the irritated and exposed skin.

If the ulcer progresses from stage one to stage two, transfer to a medical facility from the nursing home is strongly encouraged. Most stage two ulcers require more extensive and aggressive medical care and constant monitoring by trained professionals. Many nursing homes do not have the personnel, nor the programs in place to adequately treat these pressure sores.

Stage two pressure ulcers or bedsores can be treated non-surgically. Many doctors prescribe saline solution dressing to gently wash the infected area. And while full surgery is unavoidable at this stage, most patients will require some sort of surgical debridement. Debridement is a procedure where a doctor uses a scalpel to remove dead tissue. The body then reacts to the existing tissue and attempts to heal itself. The goal of the procedure is to improve the health of the infected tissue and to increase blood flow and regeneration of tissue. Following this procedure, careful monitoring is still required.

Admittedly, bedsores are much easier to prevent than to treat. However, if the sores are caught in the early stages, it is easy to see how family members can push for better treatment before the problem spirals out of control. It is ok (and highly recommended) that families keep on top of their loved one”s caregivers. Bedsores can be fatal if ignored or not properly cared for. However, if you monitor the situation to ensure that your loved one”s care follows the guidelines listed above, there is a greater chance of a full and uncomplicated recovery.

For more information on bedsore prevention or how to file a bedsore lawsuit in New Jersey or Pennsylvania, click on the following link:

New Jersey Bedsores Lawyers