Indiana Pressure Ulcer Quality Improvement Initiative
Under the direction of the Indiana State Department of Health, CAC is spearheading the Indiana Pressure Ulcer Quality Improvement Initiative, a coalition of advocacy groups and health care organizations across the spectrum of care working to develop a program of education, training and technical assistance to reduce the incidence of pressure ulcers in long-term care facilities, hospitals, hospices and home care providers throughout the state.
In 2006 and 2007, development of pressure ulcers after admission to the hospital was the most reported event in Indiana’s Medical Error Reporting System.
Pressure ulcers are a challenging and costly health care problem. They can develop when a person stays in one position for too long without shifting his or her weight, such as when people are confined to wheelchairs or beds for long periods of time. The pressure of body weight diminishes blood supply to the affected area, causing tissue to die.
The condition can be painful, causing infection and lasting damage to muscle and bone if left untreated. For health care providers, pressure ulcers are difficult to prevent, assess, and treat. For residents and their families, pressure ulcers are a serious detriment to quality of life.
For more information about this initiative, download the following documents:
Initiative Overview
Partners in Collaborative |
| In addition to the ISDH and CAC, partners joining this effort include: |
| Bottom-Line Performance |
|
Indiana Health Care Association |
| Cabello Associates |
|
Indiana Hospital Association |
| Health Care Excel |
|
Indiana Patient Safety Center |
| Hoosier Owners and Providers for the Elderly |
|
Indiana University School of Medicine |
| Indiana Association for Home & Hospice Care |
|
Pathways Health Services |
Indiana Association of Homes and Services
for the Aging |
|
United Senior Action Foundation |