Pressure injuries – also called bed sores or pressure ulcers – are painful, dangerous and expensive to treat, but prevention is effective and inexpensive. Many people with physical disabilities are at high risk for pressure injuries due to factors that include immobility, incontinence, diabetes, lack of sensation in parts of the person’s body, and other conditions that increase the risk of skin and tissue breakdown.

The ICS Wound Prevention and Wound Care Program works with members and their caregivers to assess the member’s risk of pressure injuries. We have developed educational and treatment tools – see below – that we use to teach members how to monitor their risk factors on a daily basis and record how they are following their individual action plan for prevention.   

Since creating our specialized wound care services in 2009, ICS has been able to:

• Reduce the number of new pressure injuries our members develop by more than a third
• Reduce the number of members requiring hospitalization for pressure injuries by 58 percent

When an ICS member has an open pressure injury, a certified wound care nurse builds prevention and treatment directives into the member’s care plan, in order to optimize their ability to heal and then remain wound free. The ICS care team coordinates treatment and services among all providers working with the member, including primary care physicians, wound care physicians or clinics, certified home health agencies, rehab services, family members and personal care workers.

ICS wound care staff also consult with the On A Roll rehab staff who evaluate members for medical equipment such as a wheelchair or hospital bed, to ensure the best fit for wound prevention.