Among some of the more startling finding in the report include:

• In 2006, there were 503,300 hospital stays with pressure ulcers noted as a diagnosis–an increase of nearly 80% since 1993.  The pressure ulcer stays totaled $11 billion in hospital costs.
• More than 90% of the pressure ulcer-related hospitalizations were intended to be for medical conditions unrelated to pressure ulcer treatment.
• Compared to stays for all other medical conditions, hospital stays related to pressure ulcers were more often discharged to and long-term care facility and more likely to result in death.
• 72% of adults hospitalized with a secondary pressure sore diagnosis were 65 or older.  In comparison 56.5% of adult patients had a principal diagnosis of pressure ulcers were 65 or older.
• Medicare was the biggest payer for hospital stays related to pressure ulcers- Medicare paid the bills for 3 out of 4 pressure ulcer stays.
• Paralysis and spinal cord injury were common co-existing conditions among younger adults hospitalized principally for pressure ulcers.

Read more about this bed sore study here.

Related:

Over 500,000 Adults Suffer From Bed Sores In Hospitals

Pressure Sores In Hospitals On The Rise

In 2004, more than one in 10 nursing home residents had some form of pressure ulcer within the year.  Based on the total number of nursing home residents, that translates to more than 159,000 nursing home residents with pressure ulcers (otherwise known as bed sores, decubitus ulcers, or pressure sores).  Stage II pressure ulcers were the most common according to the survey.

Over 35% of the nursing home residents with pressure ulcers had more advanced– stage III or stage IV ulcers that required special wound treatment.  Even younger nursing home residents, those commonly thought to be somewhat removed from the problem, are at risk according to the report.

The study demonstrates that while it is important to identify nursing home residents who are at risk for development of pressure ulcers and implement preventative techniques, no nursing home resident is immune from risk of developing pressure ulcers and the nursing home staff need to be tuned in to the factors related to pressure ulcer development and treatment.