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.

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