My young 47 year old brother entered a hospital in Michigan for a basic hernia repair surgury. He died 6 months later from stage IV Pressure Ulcers acquired in the first week after his surgury. The surgeon,
hospital, staff, risk management all hid the pressure ulcers until
they had reached the point of no return. And the Surgeon that performed the surgury stating, ” It was not my responsibility, and that he was sorry.” This Ann Arbor Hospital let my brother die worse than a dog would. Risk Management would not even let us see the pressure ulcers without them present in the room. And their response was also I am sorry. My brothers wounds were tunneled so deep, that his tailbone showed. Nothing was left of his buttocks area, and I mean nothing. He was on medicaid, transfered from one resident doctor to another every other day. No one cared, (The nurses however did try and keep him alive, bless their hearts) You see once a pressure ulcer reaches Stage three and four they are never going to heal. Look at Christopher Reeves. He had the best of care and still died of a Pressure Ulcer.

Pressure Ulcers are now considered never events by medicaid and medicare as of October 2008. Meaning, that medicaire and medicaid will no longer pay for Stage three and four pressure ulcers. Will this improve the system of Prevention. I surely hope so. Pressure ulcers have been declared preventable, and unnecessary. With proper turning procedures implemented, and risk assestment implemented Pressures ulcers in Hospital settings and Nursing homes should never ever happen. It is too late for my brother.
I watched him for six months die a horrible death. For everyone that has someone in a health care facility, always, always, make certain that they are being turned every two hours. Bed sores happen very very quickly. They can develope in less that two days if the proper turning and assestment for them is not being implemented.
Never never assume that the hospital has check all body parts for the beginnin of a pressure ulcer. You must be the advocate for your loved ones.

If you believe that because your loved one is at the best of the best hospitals and it could not happen to them, think again. Mine was.
This hospital that let him die was a five star hospital.

Health care systems are broken, hospitals have no funds, staff is short, and medicaid and medicare is broken. But, pressure ulcers are preventable, that is why Medicaid and medicare will no longer pay for them. Just too late for my brother. Rest in Peace dear brother.