Medicare Risk Adjustment Tip: Chronic Non-Pressure Ulcers
A chronic leg ulcer is defined as a defect in the skin below knee level that persists for more than six weeks and shows no tendency to heal after three or more months. Chronic ulceration of the lower legs is a relatively common condition in adults, which causes pain and social distress. Non-pressured chronic ulcers are similar to pressure ulcers in that they require documentation of site, severity, and laterality. Documentation of chronic non-pressure ulcers should always include a description of the user’s location, size, depth, amount of drainage, color, and odor.