Readmission after surgery is one of the biggest problems that both hospitals and patients face. Obviously, no patient wants to go back to the hospital a second time, after already having to endure a surgery and stay--but, for hospitals, readmissions can be a big problem too. Luckily, that's where sternum support comes in handy.
The Problem with Readmission
Readmissions are uncomfortably common, especially among cardiac patients, and that poses a variety of problems. First off, readmission is bad news for patients; aside from being stressful and painful in itself, it interrupts the rehabilitation process, restarting a cycle of discomfort and putting off the healing process. Not to mention the fact that hospitals are penalized by Medicare for high readmission rates--and that means that it's in everyone's best interests to find comfortable, efficient ways to send patients home and keep them home. This is why many experts are turning to sternum support devices.
Sternum Support Helps Everyone
How does sternum support help keep patients out of the hospital?
- Keeps Symptoms Under Control: There are a lot of post-surgery symptoms that are normal but uncomfortable. Difficulty sleeping, pain when coughing and breathing, aching muscles, and more can stand in the way of the healing process and encourage infection--but sternum support helps manage these symptoms by supporting the incision area.
- Protection: One of the biggest benefits of sternum support devices is that they are designed to protect the incision as well as the chest, which means that patients can move and breathe without fear of causing pain or aggravating the incision.
- Added Comfort: By reducing the pressure on the ribs and providing handles to squeeze for extra support during coughing or moving, sternum support devices keep patients comfortable--and a comfortable patient is much more likely to follow doctors orders!
Are you looking for a sternum support device to keep your patient readmission rate down? Contact us today about our Heart Hugger products and we'll find the right fit for your needs!