Developing Bed Sores During a Hospital Stay

Many patients who are hospitalized for an extended period develop bed sores, which is something that they weren’t expecting when they were admitted. Bed sores can be avoided, but some hospitals no longer concentrate on providing hands-on care for their patients. They’re more interested in high-profit medical research and upgrading their technological resources to the detriment of basic patient care.

Once a patient is admitted to the hospital, the facility has a responsibility to provide patients with the best care possible. Staff members should keep in mind that their patients frequently are suffering from medical conditions that leave them susceptible to developing bed sores. Patients rely on their caregivers to make sure no other situations occur that leave them in worse shape than they were upon admission. Treating only the acute problem that landed patients in the hospital isn’t adequate. Attention must be paid to any potential issues that might arise during their stay.

Bed Sores Are the Result of Medical Negligence

Bed sores are an extremely painful but easily avoidable condition. They develop when a patient rests in a position in which a bony part of their body puts pressure on the skin for an extended time period. Bed sores are also called pressure sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers. They are most likely to occur on a patient’s buttocks, heels and sacrum. Bed sores can be prevented by merely rolling the patient over so that the same part of their body isn’t constantly having pressure applied to it.

Medicare includes advanced cases of pressure sores on a list of “Never Events,” which means they are so easily prevented by minimal care and attention that pressure sores should never happen to any patient. In fact, Medicare and many medical insurance companies will no longer reimburse hospitals or nursing homes for any costs associated with caring for pressure sores that a patient develops while being treated for another condition.

Hospitals Are Eager to Settle Bed Sore Suits Before Trial

If a hospital neglects the basic level of attention required to avoid the development of bedsores by their patients, the patient or the patient’s family may file a lawsuit for medical malpractice against the caregiver for pain, medical costs and any resultant disability. If you’ve ever seen a bed sore, you know how gruesome they are. Stage 3 or 4 bed sores are among the most horrific examples of medical neglect. At that stage, bed sores are gaping wounds. Photographs of these nasty injuries seem to hasten the facilities to resolve any pending legal action quickly before they go to trial. It seems that hospitals have been advised to settle before a jury gets a look at how awful bed sores can be.

Bed Sore Incidents Are on the Rise

Bed sores used to be found mostly at nursing homes where the residents are constantly in a wheelchair or bedridden. Currently, patients who have been admitted to a hospital for acute care are forced to remain hospitalized because they develop bed sores during their hospitalization. State and federal regulations currently require nursing homes to analyze the integrity of all new patients’ skin so that they can determine who might be susceptible to developing bed sores. This evaluation is meant to help the staff implement special care to prevent the development of bed sores.

If you or a loved one has suffered a bed sore as a result of the medical negligence of a hospital or nursing home, contact a Philadelphia nursing home abuse attorney at Rosenbaum & Associates. Our staff is trained to evaluate and to handle bed sore lawsuits. Our experience gives you an edge in your pursuit of fair compensation for your pain and suffering.