Pressure ulcers cost U.S. healthcare $10.2 billion and contribute to nearly 29,000 hospital deaths each year. But new technology can dramatically curb the pressure ulcer pandemic.

by Margaret Doucette, D.O.

(NAPSI)—American healthcare, renowned for pioneering new technology to save lives, has all but ignored one of the most costly and deadly Hospital-Acquired Conditions (HACs), which the federal government defines as preventable patient injuries.

While the number of other HACs has decreased by 8 percent, pressure ulcers have been resistant to improvement efforts. They continue to grow by 10 percent annually.

Pressure ulcers are both costly and deadly.

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) reports that pressure ulcers add $10.2 billion to U.S. healthcare costs. As the chart above shows, pressure ulcers are associated with more than 45 percent of the nation’s 63,619 HAC-related deaths and are the leading contributor to HAC-related deaths.

Costly, deadly problem

Averaging the impact among the nation’s 5,534 hospitals means that each will treat more than 127 pressure ulcers, write off more than $1.8 million in unreimbursed treatment costs and see more than five pressure ulcer patients die every year.

Medicine has wrestled with the problem of pressure ulcers for generations. Their prevention relies on physically moving or turning a patient at frequent intervals to relieve pressure on different parts of the body. Unfortunately, turning a patient can slip on the priority list of busy hospital staff.

Technology that monitors patient movement and notifies nurses when a patient needs to be turned exists and is available throughout the United States. Dozens of studies presented in public medical forums demonstrate that a wearable patient-monitoring technology helps hospitals prevent pressure ulcers, reduce their medical costs and save lives. These studies all monitored patients at risk for pressure ulcers using the Leaf Patient Monitoring System, the only system on the market designed exclusively to help providers prevent pressure ulcers.

One randomized trial of more than 1,200 patients at a large California academic medical center concluded that the pressure ulcer incidence rate was 74 percent lower among patients monitored by the wearable monitoring system.

Tech can save lives, money

Applying the same rate of reduction to the national problem, the deployment of wearable technology could save more than 21,000 lives and nearly $7.5 billion in unreimbursed healthcare costs each year. For the average hospital, that would mean $1.36 million in annual savings.

Technology can help our understaffed clinical teams reduce the risk of very preventable pressure ulcers. For the sake of our patients’ well-being—and our healthcare institutions’ financial stability—we need to seriously consider the benefits new technology can provide.

• Margaret Doucette, D.O. is chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Boise VA Medical Center, where she oversees wound prevention and care efforts. The founder and former medical director of the Elks/St. Luke’s Wound Care Center and a co-founder of the Idaho Pressure Ulcer Prevention Coalition, Dr. Doucette has been instrumental in developing wound care programs across the continuum of care in Idaho. She is published and presents nationally and internationally. She is adjunct faculty at several universities and a clinical associate professor at the University of Washington.

(NAPSI)—Eating a healthy diet, exercising, getting a regular Pap smear and mammogram—these are just a few of the many steps women can take to help ensure they live longer, healthier lives. However, it can be tough to figure out what to do, given the mountains of information that are available. So, how can women determine which services and screenings are right for them—and when? You can start by being aware of what the science says about preventing certain health conditions and by having an open and honest conversation with your doctor about your values and preferences.

Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death for women. Fortunately, you can help prevent CVD by addressing important risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. For example, if you are age 40 to 75, talk to your doctor about your CVD risk and whether a low- or moderate-dose statin may be right for you. Statins are medications that lower your cholesterol, prevent buildup of cholesterol and fats in your arteries, and reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

Depending on your age and risk factors, taking a low-dose aspirin daily can also potentially help prevent CVD. When blood clots form in narrow blood vessels, such as the ones in your heart and brain, it can cause a heart attack or stroke. Aspirin can help keep these blood clots from happening, lowering your risk. There are some risks associated with taking low-dose aspirin every day, so make sure you talk to your doctor about whether aspirin is right for you.

Taking statins and aspirin to prevent CVD are effective but they are just one part of CVD prevention. You can reduce your risk of CVD by quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and becoming more physically active. If you smoke, talk to your doctor about ways to help you quit. If you are overweight and have other CVD risk factors or even if you are healthy and simply want to stay that way, ask your doctor about how you can develop heart-healthy habits.

Cervical Cancer

Screening for cervical cancer finds the disease when it is most treatable. Unfortunately, 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year. Most cases of cervical cancer happen in women who have not been regularly screened or appropriately treated. That is why it is critical for women to get screened regularly starting at age 21. There are several effective options for screening, depending on your age and preferences. The Pap test and the human papillomavirus (HPV) test are the most effective ways to screen for cervical cancer and are done during a visit to your doctor’s office. Talk to your doctor about which test is best for you and how often you should be tested.

Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in women; roughly 237,000 cases are reported in the United States each year. Breast cancer screening aims to find the disease early, when it is easier to treat. Mammograms, which are X-ray pictures of the breasts used by doctors to look for early signs of the disease, are the most effective method of screening for breast cancer. Evidence shows that the benefits of mammograms increase with age, with women aged 60 to 69 most likely to benefit from screening. Still, about one in three women who should get a mammogram regularly do not. If you are between the ages of 50 and 74, talk to your doctor about getting a mammogram regularly. Some women decide to start screening as early as age 40. Talk with your doctor about your individual situation and circumstances, when you should start screening, and how often you should be screened.

Screening for Osteoporosis

As people age, their bones begin to thin. For some people, their bones become very weak and can break or fracture more easily, a condition known as osteoporosis. Osteoporosis affects one in every four women age 65 or older in the United States. Bone measurement tests can be used to screen for osteoporosis and identify the likelihood of future fractures. For people who have osteoporosis, treatments are available to reduce the risk of a fracture. If you are a woman age 65 or older (or younger than 65 with certain risk factors), ask your doctor about being screened for osteoporosis and other ways to improve bone health.

Recommendations for Keeping Yourself Healthy

These recommendations were developed by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force—an independent group of national experts in prevention. The Task Force makes recommendations, based on the latest science, about what works and what doesn’t work for preventing disease and promoting good health.

Learn More

For more information on these and other Task Force recommendations, visit www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org.

(NAPSI)—Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a serious health problem, affecting an estimated 30 million adults in the United States. Yet more than nine out of 10 people who have kidney disease don’t know they have it. The sooner you find out you have kidney disease, the sooner you can take steps to prevent or delay serious health problems.

CKD means your kidneys are damaged and can’t filter blood the way they should. Kidney damage can cause wastes to build up in your body and can lead to other health problems such as anemia, bone disease and heart disease. You can have CKD without any symptoms, especially in the early stages of the disease, and over time it may lead to kidney failure. If your kidneys fail, you will need dialysis or a kidney transplant to maintain your health. You can’t reverse progressive kidney damage but you may be able to avoid or delay dialysis or a kidney transplant with medications and lifestyle changes.

Understand Your Risk for Kidney Disease

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of kidney failure, you are at risk for kidney disease. An estimated one in three people with diabetes, and one in five adults with high blood pressure, have CKD. Therefore, it’s important for people who are at risk for the disease to get tested.

Get Tested Early

Testing for kidney disease is simple—it involves a blood test and a urine test. Your health care provider uses a blood test to check how well your kidneys are filtering your blood and a urine test to check for protein in your urine.

Talk with Your Health Care Provider

If you have diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or a family history of kidney failure, talk with your health care provider about kidney disease. Stay informed and ask for the results of your kidney tests. You can start the conversation with your health care provider by asking these three questions:

1. Have I been tested for kidney disease and how healthy are my kidneys?
2. How often should I get my kidneys checked?
3. What should I do to keep my kidneys healthy?

Take Steps to Protect Your Kidney Health

If you don’t have kidney disease but are at risk for it, your health care provider may suggest ways you can keep your kidneys healthy. Here are some steps you can take to protect your kidney health:

• Manage your diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease
• Make healthy food choices
• Aim for a healthy weight
• Make physical activity part of your routine
• Get enough sleep—aim for seven to eight hours of sleep each night
• Stop smoking
• Find healthy ways to cope with stress.

Learn More

For more information about kidney disease, kidney failure, diabetes and more, visit the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) website at www.niddk.nih.gov.

(NAPSI)—More than 8 million American adults have a condition known as heart valve disease (HVD). While it can be managed, too many people who have HVD don’t know it.

To help that situation, the American Heart Association, with support from Edwards Lifesciences Foundation, answers seven frequently asked questions.

1. What is HVD? In HVD, heart valves don’t work as they should. A heart valve should open one way and seal tight when closed. Sometimes, either due to congenital heart defects, side effects of cancer treatment, or secondary heart disease, the valve allows leaks, putting a strain on the heart and prohibiting proper circulation of blood.

2. Who’s at risk? HVD can happen to anyone at any age, but the risk increases with age and in those with congenital heart valve defects or who have had a heart attack, rheumatic fever, hypercholesterolemia, or an infection in the lining of the heart walls or valves. These individuals should speak frequently with their health care providers about HVD.

Currently, HVD prevalence is greater in older Caucasians, though African Americans and Hispanics tend to have lower ideal heart health levels, which can lead to HVD.

3. Is HVD preventable? No, but it can be managed through a healthy lifestyle including proper nutrition, exercise, not smoking, weight management and medication. Most people who get treatment experience improved symptoms and can continue to live longer, healthy lives.

4. What are the signs and symptoms?

• Shortness of breath
• Feeling easily fatigued
• Swollen ankles or feet
• Heart palpitations (rapid rhythms or skips)
• Chest tightness or pressure.

Symptoms can be subtle and are often attributed to aging or other diseases. If you experience any of these, see your doctor.

5. What treatments are available? The heart valve can be repaired, or replaced with an artificial one.

6. Who can help? There’s a group of volunteer ambassadors comprised of heart valve disease survivors and caregivers who represent the face of heart valve disease in America. They work to raise awareness about heart valve disease and share available resources for patients and families. You can connect with them at sharefromheart.heart.org.

7. Where can one learn more? You can get further information from the American Heart Association at sharefromheart.heart.org.

(NAPSI)—Whether it’s a broken leg or the flu, illness and injuries that result in hospital stays are unfortunately commonplace for American families.

After a hospital stay, you’ll likely pay your entire deductible before your health insurance starts paying benefits. You may still be exposed to expenses your major medical may not cover, leaving you responsible for the entire amount.

Protect against rising hospital costs with Hospital Assure from Washington National.

Medical emergencies and rising hospital costs are a major financial concern for most Americans. The average hospital stay costs over $10,700 and hospital bills are the largest out-of-pocket expense for people who filed for medical bankruptcy.1

Hospital Assure, Washington National’s new hospital indemnity insurance product, complements existing health insurance by paying lump-sum cash benefits in the event you or a covered family member are hospitalized due to a covered sickness or accident. You can use your cash benefits to help pay:

• Deductibles
• Co-pays
• Out-of-network hospital costs, and
• Everyday bills and expenses when you’re unable to work.

Because cash benefits from Hospital Assure are paid directly to you, not a doctor or hospital, you have no restrictions on how you use your benefits.

For individuals without a health savings account, Hospital Assure offers an optional Return of Premium/Cash Value Benefit rider, a distinctly competitive feature in the marketplace that allows you to get 100 percent of your premiums paid, minus any claims incurred, at the end of the rider period. This means if you don’t use your policy, the premiums you paid will end up back in your pocket. Learn more at www.WashingtonNational.com.

Business Insider, The 35 most expensive reasons you might have to visit a hospital in the US—and how much it costs if you do, http://www.businessinsider.com/most-expensive-health-conditions-hospital-costs-2018-2, March 1, 2018.

• Washington National Insurance Company is not licensed and does not solicit business in the state of New York.

LIMITED-BENEFIT POLICIES. These policies have limitations and exclusions. For costs and complete details of coverage, contact an agent. Policies and benefits are subject to state availability and may vary by state. Underwritten by Washington National Insurance Company. The return of premium (ROP) or cash value (CV) (in MO, “cash return”) benefit is subject to state and product availability. The benefit has an additional charge and may pay minus claims or regardless of claims based on the policy selected. The policy must remain in force until the end of the ROP/CV period for the benefit to be paid.