A press release today by researchers at the University of Toronto expresses what many of us have realized for a long time. It is very difficult to light a fire that gets the attention of the media when it comes to pressure ulcers:
'This slow uptake of quality improvements in pressure ulcer care in Ontario may be connected to the condition's low profile relative to other diseases. "It's one of those diseases that's kind of silent," said Prof. Murray Krahn, principal investigator on the study who is a Professor in the Department of Medicine and the Faculty of Pharmacy at U of T, and Director of THETA.
"Unlike HIV or breast cancer, there are no advocacy groups marching for pressure ulcers. The patients are seniors with co-morbidities and low mobility in long-term care," said Krahn. Compounding the condition's visibility problem is that it doesn't belong to a particular clinical group. Patients are cared for by nurses, surgeons, infectious disease specialists, general practitioners and internists, so no one group is well-positioned to champion the cause effectively'.
It continues to amaze that the necessary investment in pressure redistribution surfaces would save hospitals a considerable amount, yet most have not made that investment.
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