A New Vision for Preventing Pressure Ulcers: Wearable Wireless Devices Could Help Solve a Common-and Serious-Problem

With an aging population, the incidence and prevalence of wound problems is on the rise. Bedsores (also known as pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers) are painful, take months to heal, and, for many patients, never do, leading to other health problems. The condition has become so acute that treating bedsores is now a significant burden on the healthcare system. An estimated 2.5 million pressure ulcers are treated in U.S. hospitals each year, adding US$11 billion annually to health care costs.