Background

Pressure ulcers have a significant impact on both quality of life and healthcare costs.
The most recent national survey of pressure ulcer prevalence suggests that one in four people within the Canadian healthcare system have problems with skin integrity.
Estimates of the proportion of people with chronic wounds over the past 10 years suggest that despite recent efforts, the number of persons with chronic wounds has not improved.
Prevalence, cost, use of hospital and other healthcare resources, and quality of life issues all point to the need for action to prevent, treat and heal wounds.
To advance pressure ulcer management, there is a clear need to provide a standardized approach across the continuum of care that is evidence-based and focused on the needs of the individual. This requires implementation of the most up-to-date research findings, along with the compilation of the best of expert consensus.