The Significance and Background of a Healthcare Problem
Problem Description
Most events involving pressure ulcers and localized wounds that damage the epidermis and tissues beneath the skin happen while a patient is hospitalized, making them a significant burden for the healthcare system. They decrease the patient’s quality of life and are a significant disease burden (Marin, Nixon, & Gorecki, 2013). Patients with spinal cord injuries are among those most impacted since they are anticipated to remain to lie in the same posture for extended periods. The patients’ lack of sensation and motion significantly impacts their care (Tung, Stead, Mann, Pham, & Popovic, 2015). The incidence rates range from 1 to 66 percent among hospitalized patients in the United States and other developed economies, from 4.2 to 23.9 percent among residents of nursing homes, and from 1.5 to 25 percent among patients at community hospitals. Even if the issue is preventable, it nonetheless significantly impacts the healthcare system and the quality of life for individual patients, particularly in acute and long-term care settings. Thus, greater coordination is required to solve this healthcare issue.
Importance of the Issue
There is no denying that pressure ulcers are a serious societal issue, given their high prevalence rate. The cost of treating pressure ulcers and related problems is billions of dollars annually. This preventable hospital-acquired illness forces patients to stay longer than they should. If the hospital needs to deal with issues brought on by the development of pressure ulcers, the cost of healthcare will increase.