Automated inventory management system for NPWT delivery increases care efficiency and reduces costs: a pilot study

Background: Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) is standardly managed in hospitals with paper-based systems that involve multiple vendors for inpatient care and outpatient care. The standard system requires close coordination between hospitals and DMEs to allow the inpatient device to change to an outpatient device at discharge.  This system limits a hospital’s ability to timely discharge patients. It also places a time burden on staff resulting in lost charges and increased hospitalization durations. 

Objective: To demonstrate the benefits of an automated NPWT inventory management system through an 8-month pilot conducted at a Level 1 trauma center.

Methods: The system was evaluated between 2/2017–9/2017. The system automatically managed GPS and RFID enabled NPWT devices and associated inventory secured in controlled locations.  Discharge to outpatient care is expedited through secure electronic transfer of patient information to the DME and insurance company for pre-approvals. At discharge, responsibility for care is automatically transferred to the DME when the device leaves the hospital. The device is returned to the controlled location at conclusion of outpatient treatment. Outcomes assessed were: number of patients managed, inpatient rental days, discharges, Medicaid discharges, and discharges on non-dressing days or after hours.

Results:  The system managed 529 NPWT patients for 3716 rental days. Patient discharge time decreased by 28 minutes and an additional 45 staff minutes were saved by eliminating 90% of discharge dressing changes. Ninety-four patients, including 14 Medicaid patients, were discharged with the NPWT device used in the hospital and 89 hospitalization days were saved. Patient utilization of NPWT was increased by 25.1% while average days of inpatient NPWT was decreased by 2.9%. Annualized cost and time savings are estimated to be $495,520 and 210 hours.

Conclusion: The results from this study demonstrate the benefits of an automated inventory management system for NPWT.