PURPOSE: In home care, daily visits for wound care is no longer an option. However, maximizing positive patient outcomes is a must! Patients with external fixators/pin sites, gastrostomy tubes, JP drains, neprostomy tubes, PICC lines, and suprapubic catheters often require frequent visits to provide care to these sites. An Antimicrobial Ionic Silver site dressing* was used in this study to replace the betadine and saline normally prescribed.

OBJECTIVES: * Obtain positve patient outcome * Decrease visit frequency * Decrease risk of infection * Decrease overall cost of case * Increase caregiver participation

OUTCOME: Visit frequency was decreased from daily to 2-3 times per week pending amount of drainage and caregiver support. The risk of infection occurring was dramatically lowered. By decreasing the number of visits and supplies used, the overall cost of the cases was reduced. Caregivers liked the easy application of the product and were more willing to assist with wound care. Patient outcomes were very positive as was the satisfaction by the physicians, clinicians and caregivers.

CONCLUSION: The use of the Antimicrobial Site dressing* was highly successful in multiple applications. Physicians were more likely to agree with the change in dressing frequency if they knew the patient would receive greater protection against infection. Use of dressings such as these are critical to the survival of home care!

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE: The support of Medline Industries for this project is gratefully acknowledged. * SilvaSorb Site Antimicrobial Ionic Silver Dressing