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According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, nearly 2.5 million Americans are affected by hospital-acquired pressure ulcers each year. What is more concerning is that about 60,000 patients die annually as a direct result of a pressure injury. Pressure injuries are costly, painful, and dangerous. Those that develop while in the hospital may require special care when returning home.
A hospital-acquired pressure injury is a skin injury or bedsore that occurs during a patient’s hospital or nursing facility stay. It is a pressure injury that is caused by a breakdown of the skin or underlying tissue. Pressure injuries may occur due to several factors, including:
While recovering in the hospital, you may get pressure sores from lying or staying in one position for a long time, especially over bony prominences.
Common pressure sore locations include:
Pressure injuries and skin tears take a long time to heal. Thus, having a wound or pressure injury wound may prolong a hospital stay. Pressure injuries may become severe and cause infections or permanent muscle or bone loss.
When it is time to return home from the hospital, you may still have open areas or ulcers.
Here’s what to keep in mind when it comes to caring for your hospital-acquired pressure injuries at home.
If you have an open wound but are unsure if it is a true hospital-acquired pressure injury, you must still take measures to help the skin heal and prevent further problems.
To care for broken skin or wounds at home, you should:
While many injuries heal on their own with time, you should call your doctor if the area looks worse or if it doesn’t heal in 7-10 days.
You should also call your doctor immediately to have a look at your wound if you notice these signs of infection:
Patients or caregivers must give special care to skin ulcers and hospital acquired pressure injuries to prevent complications.
If you need to talk with one of our expert doctors or you want to learn more about virtual services, contact us now to find out about how to book a free or low-cost appointment. My Virtual Physician offers video consultations for pressure injuries and other wounds.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. The information, graphics, and images on this site are not intended to substitute diagnosis or treatment by a medical professional. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for any questions you may have regarding a specific condition.
"Bedsores (pressure ulcers)". mayoclinic.org. Accessed July 20, 2022.
"Dressing interventions to heal pressure ulcers". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed July 20, 2022.
"Pressure Ulcers". aafp.org. Accessed July 20, 2022.
"Preventing Pressure Ulcers in Hospitals". ahrq.gov. Accessed July 20, 2022.
Sarah Falcone, BSN, RN, WCN-C, CSWD-C, is a certified wound care nurse, nursing consultant, and health content writer in Fort Worth, TX. She works with clients in home health, wound care, and telemedicine. Sarah is a passionate advocate for moving advanced levels of care to the home, where her clients can safely receive the medical treatments they need with greater satisfaction and comfort. She focuses on patient experience, outcomes, and advancing clinical models using innovative technology to serve patients better. Sarah draws from 15 years of practicing patient care and nursing leadership to share her own nursing experiences and expertise online. Connect with her on LinkedIn!
Telemedicine provides a convenient way to get the care you need without traveling to the doctor or specialist you need. Virtual care, or Telehealth, has been around for a while, but recent changes in healthcare have caused telemedicine services to surge.
In the past, telemedicine visits were used primarily as urgent care encounters. If you had symptoms of a cold, you could chat with a Tel-a-doc and maybe get antibiotics.
Today, telemedicine services have expanded. And patients can see their telemedicine doctor for gynecologic, primary, and even wound care. In this post, we will look at how telemedicine has become a solution for patients with chronic or non-healing wounds by answering these questions.
Read on to learn more about telemedicine as a wound care solution.
Telemedicine is a healthcare delivery model that involves virtual consultations between patients and physicians, using online tools such as video conferencing, virtual examination rooms, and remote medical devices.
In many situations, telemedicine is ideal for individuals with wounds.
Those injured or struggling with chronic wounds may not feel like leaving home. Or they may be physically unable to leave home without assistance.
Often their caregivers work and cannot take time from work for frequent doctor appointments. Also, depending on where an individual lives, there may not be a wound specialist in the area. If there is a local certified wound care expert, they may have limited availability.
So, wound care appointments may be difficult to get.
Telemedicine providers with specialized training and certification in wound care can save patients and their families frequent trips to their doctor or wound clinic. Telemedicine for wound care is efficient. Doctors can conduct virtual visits, see the wounds, and make treatment recommendations through video.
Telemedicine also lets patients have virtual follow-up conversations with their doctors and send images when the wounds change.
Telemedicine decreases costs by reducing the need to travel long distances to the hospital or to consult with a physician. It improves the quality of life for patients with chronic wounds while maintaining high standards of wound care.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state programs (Medicare and Medicaid) and private insurers have expanded coverage for telemedicine services, including wound care.
That is good news for patients with wounds who need to see a specialist. In many cases, your health insurance will cover the cost of your virtual visit and wound care supplies that your provider orders.
Your insurance may cover a virtual doctor visit for treatment if you have:
You can check with your insurance company to find out what they will cover or talk with a telemedicine provider and have them verify your insurance coverage before making an appointment.
Wound care specialists provide a variety of services through telemedicine. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Telehealth services are especially helpful for monitoring and improving ongoing health issues, like chronic wounds.
A telemedicine wound care specialist can evaluate and treat wounds virtually by:
These services help patients get the right treatment to heal the wound quickly and return to normal lives.
Telemedicine specialists also coordinate your care with your other doctors or home health.
There are many advantages of using telemedicine wound care services, including:
It’s easy to see why telemedicine wound care services are growing.
While there are numerous benefits of telemedicine for patients, primary among them is the ease of convenience and the ability to access quality care fast. Wound care services provided through telemedicine are a great example of a wound care solution that is helping many individuals get the care they need.
If you have a skin wound that needs medical attention, talk with the My Virtual Physician team to find out if their telemedicine wound care services are right for you.
Contact us now for your low-cost appointment that your insurance may cover!
