HTA Details
Turning for the Prevention and Management of Pressure Ulcers
- Publication date
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2014-October-01
- Status
- Final
- Topic Area
- Injuries, Accidents and Wounds
- Recommendation
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Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee Recommendations:
- For prevention of pressure ulcers in acute care, the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee recommends that a high-density foam mattress should be provided to all persons receiving acute care.
- For prevention of pressure ulcers in the operating room, a high-quality support surface (foam or gel) should be used during surgical procedures longer than 90 minutes. Strong evidence exists for using a gel pad for this population.
- Ministry Response
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The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care endorses these recommendations.
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To read the full OHTAC Recommendation Report for this topic, contact our Health Innovation team using the contact form to request a digital copy.
Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, cause problems for many patients with limited mobility. They increase the risk of death and hospitalization, and decrease quality of life. They are also expensive to treat. Bedsores are caused by the pressure when bones under the skin meet support surfaces (like mattresses) and blood flow in that area is reduced.
Bedsores are prevented by using support that spreads pressure out more evenly (high-density foam mattresses) and by turning people in their beds so they rest on the same spot for a shorter time. High-density foam mattresses reduce bedsores even when patients are turned less often. Less frequent turning could have other benefits, such as decreasing the number of times sleeping patients are disturbed and freeing up staff to do other work.
Last Updated: February 24, 2026
