Cost Effectiveness of a Comprehensive Pressure Ulcer Prevention Program in an Acute Setting

COST EFFECTIVENESS OF A COMPREHENSIVE PRESSURE ULCER PREVENTION PROGRAM IN AN ACUTE SETTING

     Research studies have consistently revealed that pressure ulcers are costly in human and economic terms.  Pressure ulcers can increase patient length of stay, patient pain and suffering, and patient care costs during hospitalization.  The average cost for treating a pressure ulcer is estimated to be around $43,180.  Increased expenses arise from the cost of specialty beds, wound care supplies, increased staff time to care for wounds, and nutritional support. With the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ regulations on non-reimbursement for pressure ulcers, hospitals are intensifying a focus on prevention.  Our acute care facility initiated a pressure ulcer prevention program (PUPP) in March, 2011, when the monthly pressure ulcer count house-wide was 26. The PUP aimed to reduce pressure ulcers through nurse education, product optimization, and integration of best practices by all nurses.  House-wide implementation began with educational sessions for RNs, LPNs, and CNTs who read an educational booklet and completed a pre-test and post-test.  As follow-up, wound ostomy continence (WOC) nurses visited every nursing unit and held small group and one-on-one conversations with staff.  Over the next 12 months, nosocomial pressure ulcers hospital-wide decreased by as much as 23 ulcers per month.  By April, 2012, our facility had a substantial accumulated savings of $2,720,340.0 and our incident count was down to 4.  The PUP program proved to be so effective that all new RNs, LPNs and CNT hirees now complete the program and follow WOC nurses for four hours of education.  With the use of strategic products coupled with education and interactive training tools, our facility significantly increased the knowledge base of our professional staff and nurse technicians; provided for significant cost savings; reduced facility-acquired pressure ulcers; and improved our overall care among our patient population.