# Hospital-acquired pressure injury vs. present-on-admission pressure injury > Understand the difference between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission pressure injuries, and why the classification matters for your indicators. Page: https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/hospital-acquired-vs-present-admission-pressure-injury/ November 21, 2023 · Updated on June 24, 2026 Understanding the differences between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission pressure injuries is crucial to delivering effective care. This distinction is based on when the injuries occur and has significant implications for patient safety and for calculating pressure injury incidence. Hospital-acquired pressure injuries are those that develop after the patient has already been admitted to a healthcare facility. They occur during the patient's stay at the institution and are a direct reflection of the quality of the care delivered. Present-on-admission pressure injuries, on the other hand, are those already present when the patient is admitted to the healthcare facility. These injuries may have developed earlier, in another care setting, or may be the result of pre-existing conditions. See DecSense monitoring [patient position](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/glossary/#decubito) in real time, with an alert at the right moment for [repositioning](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/glossary/#reposicionamento). [Request a demo](https://preveni.com.br/en/#demo) or [Request the datasheet](https://preveni.com.br/en/decsense-datasheet/) The distinction between these two types of injury plays a fundamental role in assessing the quality of patient safety within a healthcare institution. Accurately calculating pressure injury incidence, taking into account the difference between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission injuries, is essential to identifying areas for improvement in care. A high incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries can be an indicator of problems in care delivery and patient safety. This may include quality-of-care issues such as inadequate patient movement, improper use of pressure-relief devices or insufficient prevention protocols. That is where the Preveni system plays a significant role. Preveni makes it possible to select and distinguish between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission pressure injuries, automating the calculation of the incidence indicator. This not only helps healthcare institutions effectively monitor the quality of the care delivered, but also implement proactive prevention measures. Pressure injury prevention is an essential part of delivering high-quality healthcare. With the distinction between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission pressure injuries and the help of the Preveni system, healthcare institutions can improve patient safety, cut unnecessary costs and raise the quality of care. By investing in technologies and approaches that automate the calculation of essential indicators, healthcare institutions are better positioned to ensure that patient safety always comes first. In addition, accurately calculating pressure injury incidence, taking into account the distinction between the detailed characteristics of the injuries, is a vital part of the continuous quality improvement process. Based on this indicator, healthcare institutions can set goals for reducing pressure injuries and implement targeted strategies to achieve them. In short, understanding the difference between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission pressure injuries is fundamental to assessing the quality of care and to patient safety. The distinction is an integral part of calculating pressure injury incidence, which in turn is a valuable indicator for improving patient safety. The Preveni system simplifies this process, providing an effective tool to automate the calculation of the indicator and support pressure injury prevention, contributing to safer, more effective care. ## See DecSense in practice Real-time patient position monitoring, an alert at the right moment for repositioning and a record in the EHR. [Request a demo](https://preveni.com.br/en/#demo) or [Request the datasheet](https://preveni.com.br/en/decsense-datasheet/) ## Frequently asked questions ### What are hospital-acquired pressure injuries? They are the injuries that develop after the patient has already been admitted to the healthcare facility, during the stay at the institution, directly reflecting the quality of the care delivered. ### What are present-on-admission pressure injuries? They are the injuries already present when the patient is admitted, which may have developed in another care setting or resulted from pre-existing conditions. ### Why distinguish hospital-acquired from present-on-admission injuries? Because accurately calculating pressure injury incidence, taking this difference into account, is essential to assessing patient safety and identifying areas for improvement in care. ### How does the Preveni system help with this? Preveni makes it possible to select and distinguish between hospital-acquired and present-on-admission injuries, automating the calculation of the incidence indicator and helping institutions monitor the quality of care and implement proactive prevention measures. ## Related reading - [Repositioning and early mobilization](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/repositioning-early-mobilization/) - [What works to prevent pressure injuries](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/what-works-prevent-pressure-injuries/) - [Best practices for preventing pressure injuries](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/best-practices-preventing-pressure-injuries/) - [How to calculate the ROI of DecSense sensors](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/how-calculate-roi-decsense-sensors/) [See all articles](https://preveni.com.br/en/blog/) --- Preveni: prevenção de lesão por pressão com o sensor DecSense e software de gestão. Guia para agentes: https://preveni.com.br/llms.txt · Contato: contato@preveni.com.br