Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Stepping it up: Reducing Pressure Ulcers

The Problem
Although Fairfield Medical Center had a fairly low rate of pressure ulcers, officials believed the incidence could be reduced further to improve patient care and prepare for Medicare's decision to stop reimbursing for hospital-acquired Stage III and IV pressure ulcers as of October 2008. Problems included inconsistent implementation of pressure ulcer prevention protocols and poor documentation of skin assessments.
The Solution
In October 2007, the hospital began a Six Sigma project, led by Andrew Murry, MD, that aimed to improve documentation, enhance use of the pressure ulcer prevention protocols, and reduce incidence rates. Then in August 2008, Fairfield started a Lean project, led by Mike Tobin, to address the increased paperwork burden the initial effort caused for tissue therapy nurses.

Read about the complete journey by clicking "view item."