The Cost Of Pressure Injury Prevention And Treatment

ISBN-978-93-6976-502-7

Pressure injuries, also referred to as pressure ulcers or bedsores, constitute a major healthcare
problem that affects patients during a stay in a hospital, long-term care facility and even in
home care settings. Pressure injuries, due to prolonged pressure on the skin and underlying
tissues, not only cause physical pain and suffering, but emotional suffering and impaired
quality of life in patients too.
Innovative approaches, development of effective guidelines, quality improvement initiatives
that prevent pressure injuries and treat them if they arise is key to protect the well-being and
health of the patients. But the expense of these practices — not just their direct monetary outlay
but their systemic costs to economy and environment — is hardly a consideration. These can
be direct costs such as medical supplies, specialty equipment, employee training, or extended
hospitalizations that accumulate rapidly and place added burden on healthcare systems and
institutions. This book explores the unique cost of pressure injury prevention and treatment in
many forms. We aim to examine how these injuries uniquely affect finances — from the early
prevention-oriented phase to the advanced and complicated high-tech and high-cost wound
care to rehabilitation. Through this lens, we hope to underscore the need for careful
consideration of the trade-offs between the goal of providing full coverage and the imperative
of needing health care resources to be sustainable.
This book shares detailed analysis, case studies, and expert insights that help readers
understand the complex financial and clinical issues related to pressure injury care. Most
importantly, it stimulates thinking on how best to enhance individual patient benefit while
reducing total cost burden.
Finally, the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries are not simply clinical issues but an
investment in patient care, system effectiveness, and the sustained practice of health care. The
material in the book is meant to be used as a reference for providers, administrators,
policymakers, and all those devoted to promoting the highest quality of care in an age when
the economics of healthcare play as significant a role as the clinical practice of medicine.
An examination, not just of the bottom line, but also a summons. Initiatives to include the true
cost of pressure injuries will drive more effective prevention programs and protocols, leading
to better outcomes for our patients.