Princeton Baptist Medical Center’s Wound and Ostomy Care Team Outranks National Average for Pressure Ulcer Prevalence

Princeton Baptist Medical Center’s Wound and Ostomy Care team exceeds quality and safety when compared to the national average for pressure injury prevalence. Princeton Baptist Medical Center is a 505 bed hospital that serves more than 53,000 patients each year for primary and emergency care. A study is conducted annually to determine the prevalence of pressure injuries in the facility. In 2018, Princeton Baptist’s Wound & Ostomy Care Team outranked the national average for pressure injury prevalence. Princeton’s total hospital-acquired pressure injury prevalence percentage was 1.2%, which was below the national benchmark of 3.1%. Their hospital-acquired pressure injury prevalence for wounds greater than a Stage 1 pressure injury was 0.6% with the national benchmark being 2.3%.

To understand the magnitude of Princeton Baptist Medical Center’s performance, consider the costs associated with pressure ulcers. According to the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ), pressure ulcers cost the US healthcare system an estimated $9.1-$11.6 billion annually. In addition to direct treatment related costs, pressure ulcers also result in litigation, government penalties and impact hospital performance metrics. On top of the financial implications, pressure ulcers also have a significant impact on patient morbidity, mortality and quality of life. To further exacerbate the problem, as the population ages, the percent of patients at risk for developing pressure ulcers is growing, thus increasing the demand for early stage prevention.

“The work of the Princeton Wound & Ostomy Care Team is outstanding, and our patients are fortunate to have such dedicated, experienced nurses attending to their care,” said John Mathews MD, a surgical specialist with The Surgeons Group and an affiliated physician with Princeton Baptist Medical Center. “I have great confidence in this team that my surgical patients are in very capable hands, and I feel strongly that they play a pivotal role in the recovery process for those in their care.”

For the Princeton Baptist Wound and Ostomy Care Team, their desire to fulfill the mission of the Brookwood Baptist Health to extend the healing ministry of Christ through holistic, people-centered health care goes beyond the hospital doors. When patients are discharged, the team often works with patients and their families at home to ensure they are comfortable with changing dressings and other required care.

Through their work, these caring nurses perform many acts of kindness throughout the community. They clip toenails for the homeless in partnership with the Homeless Connect Program and provide consultative services when requested. They have also served in multiple capacities for the Central Alabama Wound & Ostomy Care (WOC) Nurses’ Association, including being committee members, officers and serving on the Board of Directors.

As part of their work with the Central Alabama WOC Nurses’ Association, they have helped establish the only ostomy awareness fundraiser in the state of Alabama, which is one of only nine nationwide. The annual Alabama Ostomy 5k Run for Resilience will take place this Saturday, October 6. To register or for more information, visit www.ostomy5k.org. Additionally, the team is active in the Birmingham Ostomy Association Support Group.

“Our team truly believes the care we provide for the patients of Princeton Baptist Medical Center and for those in the community is a calling,” said Donna Casey, director, Wound & Ostomy Care Team, Princeton Baptist Medical Center. “Wound and ostomy care takes a special person – one who can not only deal with the physical needs of the patient, but also one who can address the emotional needs of the individual. These patients and those in the community whom we serve come to us in one of their greatest times of need, and it gives our team tremendous satisfaction knowing we can help in a way that brings them comfort.”