For Pressure Injuries, Awareness and Prevention is Key

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 15, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority has developed new resources to encourage awareness and prevention of pressure injuries ? a serious patient safety concern for both patients and healthcare providers.

In a previous Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory article, Authority analysts discussed the increasing frequency and severity of pressure injury events that were reported in Pennsylvania. The article highlighted opportunities to improve pressure injury recognition, and patient awareness. Further, the Authority sought to standardize reporting of these injuries.

In Pennsylvania, acute healthcare facilities report pressure injuries through the Authority's Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System under the Pennsylvania Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (MCARE) Act. In January 2018, new guidelines for reporting went into effect.

"The analysis of pressure injury reports revealed a need to educate clinicians and patients through standardized reporting," said Regina Hoffman, executive director of the Authority. "It was an impressive undertaking, guided by a multi-disciplinary work group including a patient representative, the Authority, the Department of Health, the Health Care Improvement Foundation, the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania, and other patient-safety focused organizations and individuals." 

To drive patient awareness, reinforce clinical education, and support new reporting guidelines, the Authority has made available safety tips for patients, a dedicated collection of pressure injury prevention resources, and online education courses for both acute and long-term care clinicians.

"Awareness helps patients participate in their own healthcare, education enables clinicians to accurately identify and prevent these injuries, and standardized reporting supports objective and shared understanding of these events," said Hoffman. "Prevention is key and these resources are designed to lead us in the right direction."

For more information about the Authority, patient safety topics, Advisory articles, and safety tips for patients, please visit patientsafety.pa.gov.

The Authority's mission is to improve the quality of healthcare in Pennsylvania by collecting and analyzing patient safety information, developing solutions to patient safety issues, and sharing this information through education and collaboration. Its vision is safe healthcare for all patients.

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SOURCE Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority