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TurnCare's Revelatory Insights on Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries

At the forefront of healthcare innovation, TurnCare, Inc. recently unveiled significant findings at the 2026 ISPOR Annual Meeting, a leading platform that emphasizes health economics and outcomes research. Their presentation highlighted the alarming reality of hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) and the immense clinical and economic burden they impose on high-risk hospitalized patients. As healthcare providers grapple with these challenges, TurnCare's innovative solutions emerge as vital tools for improving patient outcomes.

Understanding the Burden of HAPIs

Despite advancements in medical technology and care protocols, hospital-acquired pressure injuries remain a serious complication, particularly for vulnerable patient populations. According to the data presented by TurnCare, high-risk patients who develop these injuries experience detrimental effects such as extended hospital stays, increased readmission rates, and significant economic costs exceeding $100,000 for each hospital admission.

The retrospective analysis utilized Definitive Healthcare's Atlas All-Payor 2023 Claims data, which highlighted several disturbing statistics:

• - Patients with pressure injuries experienced an average of 2.14 days longer in the hospital, implying a significant strain on healthcare resources.
• - The likelihood of 30-day readmissions surged by 15%, exacerbating the already heavy burden on healthcare systems and nursing staff.
• - Patients suffered more frequent occurrences of severe complications, like a six-fold increase in cases of ventilator-associated pneumonia. Additionally, these patients were more prone to require discharge to post-acute care facilities.

The Role of Guardian System

In response to these challenges, TurnCare introduced the Guardian System, a comprehensive solution designed to enhance patient mobility and reduce the risk of pressure injuries. This innovative system encapsulates a high-precision pressure controller, anatomically-optimized support surfaces for beds and chairs, along with an Information Services (iS) operational insights dashboard. This dashboard provides real-time visibility into therapy use and patient mobility goals, thus enabling healthcare providers to actively manage and prevent HAPIs effectively.

Justin Gray, Director of Operations and Performance at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, emphasized the findings, stating, “These insights underscore the necessity for prevention-focused strategies and emphasize the long-term burdens faced by patients post-discharge.” In an era where proactive patient management is paramount, TurnCare's evidence-based approaches stand to reshape care delivery at hospitals nationwide.

Emphasizing Proactive Management

TurnCare’s research advocates for early mobilization and vigilant monitoring of high-risk patients. The Guardian System's Information Services aspect significantly streamlines the assessment processes, yielding objective data that can augment compliance and focus clinical quality initiatives. By transitioning from subjective evaluations to data-driven assessments, healthcare providers can ensure better outcomes for patients, particularly in preventing sacral HAPIs and alleviating the financial impacts associated with extended treatment and recovery.

CEO JoLynn Short of TurnCare remarked, “By providing longitudinal data on mobility milestones and fostering awareness, our Guardian System plays a crucial role in influencing prevention strategies and care delivery practices.” This commitment to patient safety and enhanced recovery underscores TurnCare’s dedication to transforming healthcare practices.

A Call for Awareness and Action

The newly presented evidence from TurnCare at ISPOR 2026 is not merely a reflection of data, but a clarion call for healthcare organizations to reassess their protocols regarding HAPIs. With an increasing patient demographic facing high-risk scenarios, the need for strategic, data-informed approaches in healthcare has become paramount. TurnCare’s proactive solutions, exemplified by the Guardian System, pave the way for a cleaner, safer, and more responsive hospital environment.

As healthcare continues to evolve, innovations like those by TurnCare challenge the status quo and inspire a new standard of care, ensuring all patients receive the attention and dignity they rightfully deserve in their healthcare journey.