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Pressure Ulcers - Nursing Home

FMQAI, the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for Florida, will focus on assisting nursing homes with implementing the Nursing Home Pressure Ulcer Prevention Project, a key component of CMS’ 9th Scope of Work (SOW) National Patient Safety Initiative (NPSI) and continuing Nursing Home Quality Improvement Initiative.

In an effort to fulfill the vision of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of providing patient-centered and value-driven quality healthcare services for Medicare beneficiaries, FMQAI will work with select healthcare teams to improve patient safety by helping to reduce the prevalence of pressure ulcers. FMQAI’s highly qualified team of clinical and technical professionals will assist organizations by:
  • Identifying gaps in care delivery systems;
  • Providing individualized consultation for creating more efficient and effective care systems;
  • Transforming barriers into opportunities to improve care through accelerated improvement methodologies;
  • Developing and fostering a culture focused on safety, quality, and patient satisfaction;
  • Learning from nationally known speakers and to collaborate with FMQAI team members;
  • Providing knowledge necessary to improve the High-Risk Pressure Ulcer QM;
  • Providing complementary Team Strategies & Tools to Enhance Performance & Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS™),* training to improve teamwork and communication;
  • Locating tools, resources and literature designed to significantly reduce the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers;

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Pressure ulcers are a significant, common, and costly medical problem in the healtcare industry affecting approximately 1 million Americans – primarily those over 65 years old. Residents with pressure ulcers have decreased quality of life and increased morbidity and mortality rates. Pressure ulcer prevalence rates in Nursing Homes are 2.3% to 28% and the incidence rates are 2.2% to 23.9% (NPUAP). With implementation of evidence based consistent prevention, treatment and monitoring programs, facilities may be able to reduce incidence, costs, improve resident’s quality of life and decrease risk of litigation.

Costs associated with increasing liability and litigation add to the millions spent on treatment. During the past three years, nursing homes that have partnered with FMQAI to reduce pressure ulcers have shown an average relative improvement in High-Risk Pressure Ulcer rates of 13.6% from baseline, (2005-2008). The National Advancing Excellence in America’s Nursing Homes Campaign since 2006 has achieved 3,238 fewer pressure ulcers. The national prevalence rate for pressure ulcers in long term care is approximately 8.9% (CMS) and 8% of all deaths in nursing homes are attributed to pressure ulcers (Don R Revis, Jr. MD and H Hollis Cafee, MD 2006). Resources, tools, links, and education are available to assist with the National Patient Safety Initiative (NPSI) and continuing Nursing Home Quality Improvement Initiative.
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