What many people—including some
doctors—don’t realize is how often bedsores
begin in the hospital. Studies published
in the early 1990 s found that up
to 35% of nursing-home patients already
had bedsores when they were admitted,
and most were being transferred from
hospitals. University of Maryland researchers
reported the results of a study
earlier this year that involved checking
older patients for bedsores just three
days after they were hospitalized. The
patients had been admitted to the hospital
after being seen first in the emergency
department. Th e researchers found that
201 of the 3,233 patients (6.2%) had at
least one bedsore. Most were at the stage
when the skin is still largely intact, so
treatment involves keeping pressure off
the area. Still, there’s a risk of a more serious
problem developing.