Are there any federal regulations that apply to the prevention of bed sores?

The Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987 (OBRA) set forth regulations for nursing homes to comply with in exchange for their receipt of Medicare funding. The regulations are extensive and cover most aspects of patient care. These regulations are known as ‘F-Tags’ which collectively form the standard of care for nursing home residents.

F-Tag 314 (codified as 42 C.F.R. 483.25(c)), relates to bed sores (also referred to as: pressure sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers):

Based on the comprehensive assessment of a resident, the facility must ensure that:

(1) A resident who enters the facility without pressure sores does not develop pressure sores unless the individual’s clinical condition demonstrates that they were unavoidable; and

(2) A resident having pressure sores receives necessary treatment and services to promote healing, prevent infection and prevent new sores from developing.

Tags: federal regulation of bed sores, federal regulations, nursing homes, obra

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Jonathan Rosenfeld is a lawyer who represents people injured in nursing homes and long-term care facilities. Jonathan has represented victims of nursing home abuse and neglect throughout Illinois and across the country. Jonathan's reputation as an aggressive advocate for the rights of the injured has resulted in millions of dollars recovered on behalf of his clients. Jonathan's successful representation of nursing home victims has resulted in many speaking engagements to elder groups.

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Strellis & Field, Lawyers & Attorneys, representing individuals and families in negligence and medical malpractice cases related to development of bed sores, pressure sores, pressure ulcers, decubitus ulcers (and related complications: sepsis, osteomyelitis, gangrene, debridement and amputation) in hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities, serving Alabama, AL; Alaska, AK; Arizona, AZ; Arkansas, AR; California , CA; Colorado, CO; Connecticut, CT; Delaware, DE; Florida, FL; Georgia, GA; Hawaii, HI; Idaho, ID; Chicago, Illinois, IL; Indiana, IN; Iowa, IA; Kansas, KS; Kentucky, KY; Louisiana, LA; Maine, ME; Maryland, MD; Massachusetts, MA; Michigan, MI; Minnesota, MN; Mississippi, MS; Missouri, MO; Montana, MT; Nebraska, NE; Nevada, NV; New Hampshire, NH; New Jersey, NJ; New Mexico, NM; New York, NY; North Carolina, NC; North Dakota, ND; Ohio, OH; Oklahoma, OK; Oregon, OR; Pennsylvania, PA; Rhode Island, RI; South Carolina, SC; South Dakota, SD; Tennessee, TN; Texas, TX; Utah, UT; Vermont, VT; Virginia , VA; Washington, WA; West Virginia, WV; Wisconsin, WI; Wyoming, WY