[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1133 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1133

    Expressing support for the designation of the third Thursday in 
   November as ``National Pressure Ulcer/Injury Prevention Day'' and 
promoting enhanced care coordination and prevention resources to reduce 
              the development of pressure ulcers/injuries.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            October 26, 2018

  Mr. Emmer (for himself, Mrs. Handel, Mr. Woodall, and Mr. Poliquin) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
    Expressing support for the designation of the third Thursday in 
   November as ``National Pressure Ulcer/Injury Prevention Day'' and 
promoting enhanced care coordination and prevention resources to reduce 
              the development of pressure ulcers/injuries.

Whereas hospital-acquired pressure ulcers/injuries are a significant problem 
        that cause harm in terms of morbidity, mortality, and cost for Americans 
        covered through Medicare or Medicaid, those covered by private 
        commercial health insurance, and the uninsured;
Whereas the prevalence and impact of pressure ulcers/injuries and their 
        associated complications and expenses kill over 60,000 patients per year 
        while impacting over 2,000,000 Americans;
Whereas these complications cost the United States at least $9,000,000,000 to 
        $11,000,000,000 per year based on data from the Centers for Medicare & 
        Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and 
        Quality, and economists project that this issue could surpass 
        $25,000,000,000 by 2020;
Whereas the physiologic process describing pressure ulcer/injury formation is 
        not completely understood, and there are multiple factors that 
        contribute to their development including decreased mobility, moisture, 
        nutrition deficits, friction, obstructed lymph flow, dehydration, and 
        impaired tissue perfusion;
Whereas these complications may be indicative of the end of life or organ 
        failure;
Whereas pressure ulcers/injuries may develop despite the caregiver's diligent 
        use of currently known and accessible prevention methods;
Whereas there is adequate evidence that multiple factors are involved in the 
        formation of a pressure ulcer/injury that require additional research to 
        effectively understand the protocols necessary to relieve the pressure 
        ulcer/injury burden to the patient, health care provider, and 
        government;
Whereas information provided by the CMS Office of Enterprise Data and Analytics 
        in October 2017 identified that hospital-acquired pressure ulcer/injury 
        incidence rates have increased by 58.4 percent between the first quarter 
        of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017;
Whereas the data demonstrate a need to work together to determine how we can 
        improve our Nation's health care outcomes by reducing the occurrence of 
        pressure ulcers/injuries and their significant morbidity and mortality 
        consequences;
Whereas the term ``pressure ulcer'' has been widely known as pressure injury, 
        decubitus ulcer, bedsore, pressure induced skin damage, skin failure, 
        and pressure sore;
Whereas there are approximately 17,000 additional lawsuits each year as a result 
        of pressure ulcers/injuries;
Whereas pressure ulcers/injuries are one of the five most prevalent harms 
        experienced by patients;
Whereas in long-term acute care settings, 28.2 percent of patients have pressure 
        ulcers/injuries;
Whereas in nursing homes and rehabilitation centers, approximately 11 percent of 
        patients have documented pressure ulcers/injuries;
Whereas for hospital settings, 4.5 percent of Medicare beneficiaries develop 
        hospital-acquired pressure ulcers/injuries;
Whereas more than \1/3\ of veterans with a spinal cord injury report pressure 
        ulcers/injuries each year, and those veterans face more than $70,000 in 
        inpatient costs compared to those without;
Whereas patients with hospital-acquired pressure ulcers/injuries increase their 
        length of stay from 4.9 to 11.6 days, adding additional health care 
        costs;
Whereas these patients are more likely to be discharged to an extended care 
        facility rather than home, and readmitted to a hospital;
Whereas the pathology of pressure ulcer/injury formation indicates multiple 
        contributing factors; and
Whereas effecting positive change in the prevention and management of patients 
        will require multiple areas of focus including the public, patients, 
        health care professionals, providers, and government: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) affirms that pressure ulcers/injuries and their 
        resulting costs in human suffering and strain on the health 
        care system require a coordinated and systemic plan to address;
            (2) supports the designation of ``National Pressure Ulcer/
        Injury Prevention Day'';
            (3) encourages the Secretary of the Department of Health 
        and Human Services (HHS) to review current pressure ulcer/
        injury prevention and management protocols and develop a plan 
        to use peer-reviewed science to test, revise, and continually 
        reduce pressure ulcer/injury development;
            (4) encourages the Secretary of HHS to host a Federal 
        interagency conference with academia, industry stakeholders, 
        health care providers, community caregivers, patients, 
        families, patient and veteran advocacy groups, and other 
        stakeholders to publicly review and discuss the state of 
        pressure ulcer/injury prevention research, protocols, scope and 
        magnitude of the problem, and related topics each year;
            (5) encourages the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services 
        (CMS) to review its authorities and programs to reduce pressure 
        ulcers/injuries, including focus on early detection and 
        prevention; and
            (6) encourages HHS to coordinate with the Department of 
        Veterans Affairs and State health agencies and boards to 
        deliver best practices on the prevention and reduction of 
        pressure injury/ulcer rates.
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