Masahiro Tachi
President of the Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers
Plastic Surgery, Akaishikai Akaishi Hospital
I am honored to be appointed as the president of the Japanese Society of Pressure Ulcers (JSPU) of the 9th-term at the Board Meeting in September 2021. I will devote myself as the chairperson of the society, which is due to celebrate a quarter-century since its establishment.
The society was established in 1998 to provide opportunities to discuss the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers as team medical care by healthcare professionals. After defining and classifying pressure ulcers, we have promoted the use of tools for risk factor assessment, developed DESIGN as a scale for pressure ulcer assessment, and actively implemented administrative activities, including medical fee revisions. At present, measures should be taken for pressure ulcers as team medical care to request the reimbursement of basic hospitalization fees. DESIGN evolved into DESIGN-RR in 2008, given the importance of healing predictors, and has been highly evaluated overseas for its high level of evidence. In 2020, we launched DESIGN-RR 2020, including suspected DTI and critical colonization.
The COVID-19 pandemic that has spread since the beginning of 2020 has led to significant changes in the medical community. Healthcare professionals have difficulties with collaborating on pressure ulcers. Additionally, academic meetings and educational training have been seriously affected. To address such situations, we have promoted various e-learning courses with the committee members and instructors in charge of education. As remote diagnosis and treatment of pressure ulcers and wound management by nurses may become essential, the society will also work on these issues.
As a member of the society, I have helped formulate guidelines for the local treatment of pressure ulcers and worked as a training instructor for nurses responsible for specific behavior training for a long time. Since retiring from the university in the spring of 2021, I have worked at the front line of community medicine and was shocked by the fact that many frail elderly patients suffer from pressure ulcers. I strongly believe that education and enlightenment activities for the general public and long-term care staff are indispensable for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers at home. Additionally, we would like to ask rehabilitation staff to join the society and play additional roles in the prevention of pressure ulcers.
The circumstances surrounding pressure ulcers have been markedly improved over the last 23 years. However, we still face many future challenges due to the declining birthrate and super-aging of the population. I will exert every effort to further promote JPSU, and I would appreciate your continued support and cooperation.
Wishing you all the best
September 2021