Pressure Injuries: Not Always a Quality Measure

Pressure injuries, also known as bedsores, pressure ulcers, and decubiti, have long been designated a measure of health care quality based on the notion that their presence reflects inadequate care. However, this connection deserves closer scrutiny. Not all pressure injuries are avoidable, especially in critically ill or end-of-life patients where skin failure can occur despite optimal interventions. By rigidly linking pressure injuries to quality metrics without accounting for patient complexity, there is a risk of unfairly penalizing providers and oversimplifying the realities of medical care.