Greater than 1/3rd of the back injuries among nurses are attributed to handling patients (lifting & transferring) and the frequency with which they are required to manually move patients. Considering the cumulative weight lifted by a nurse on an average 8-hour shift is equivalent to 1.8 tons, it is no surprise that the cost of treating back injuries among healthcare workers is estimated to be over $1.7 billion in workers’ compensation claims per year. Additionally, indirect costs such as replacing/retraining employees, compensation costs or administrative time can be at least four times the direct costs.  

Click here for Workers’ Compensation Reduction & Safe Patient Handling

Studies show that 1/3rd of Americans age 65 and older fall, consequently suffering at least one or multiple        fall-related injuries. The direct costs of fall-related injuries amount to over $20 billion per year. Now, as the generation of over 79 million baby boomers is coming into their senior years, these costs are expected to more than double in the next decade to an estimated $43.8 billion.

Click here for facility in Fall Prevention & Restraint Reduction

In U.S. acute care facilities alone, an estimated 2.5 million patients per year receive treatment for pressure ulcers. An estimated 60,000 of those patients die each year of pressure ulcer complications, and the cost of treating these wounds is estimated at $11 billion per year. As of October 2008, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced  a new payment provision stating that hospitals will no longer be reimbursed for nosocomial pressure ulcers. Facilities will need to develop aggressive, preventative programs - or bear the average $40,000 treatment per pressure ulcer themselves.

Click here for Specialty Support Surfaces: Wound & Pulmonary Care