Leveraging Technology in Acute Care to Hardwire Pressure Ulcer Prevention Strategies

Purpose: Hospital acquired pressure ulcers (HAPU) are a national concern due to patient morbidity, treatment cost, and reimbursement. Emerging technology helped VCU Health System (VCUHS) enhance its initiative by the use of the Electronic Medical Record (EMR). The question became, how can the EMR be customized to meet the individualized needs of a facility and maximize pressure ulcer prevention?

 

Methods:  In response to CMS regulations VCUHS Wound Care Team (WCT) and the Information Technology (IT) Department took a proactive approach by maximizing Cerner’s powerful and intelligent EMR to help tackle PU prevention in an 800 bed, Level 1 Trauma, Academic University Medical Center. The team specifically designed into the EMR PU prevention in the following ways: enhanced the adult admission assessment to indicate whether a PU is present on admission, “triggered” an electronic notification to the provider, linked the Braden sub scores to nursing interventions, incorporated the use of digital photography, and created PowerOrders (care sets) for patient specific treatment plans. This poster will describe these system changes in further detail and its positive impact on PU prevention. In addition to the EMR, the WCT designed a website located on the VCUHS Intranet to provide additional tools for the healthcare team to help address PU prevention and treatment. This comprehensive website receives over 300 hits a day!

 

Results:  These specific changes have increased our provider documentation by 75% and insured appropriate reimbursement for all HAPU.

 

Conclusions: Hardwiring pressure ulcer prevention strategies into our Cerner system became apart of sustainable change.  Developing a partnership with IT allowed the facility to maximize the use of a powerful system to create consistency. The goal to integrate PU prevention into the EMR allowed for improved quality and efficiency of care delivered and increased financial opportunities