Slashing nursing home wound care costs by half

23 November 2004

A Monash University study has revealed nursing homes could cut wound care costs by almost half, reduce nursing hours by one fifth and slash wastage by 75 per cent by simply using modern wound management practices.

Mr Geoff Sussman from the Victorian College of Pharmacy said the findings could have massive implications for residential aged care facilities where one in every four patients presented with a wound at any given time -- saving government and private providers millions of dollars each year.

Using modern wound pharmaceutical products during the 40 week study, Mr Sussman said savings per nursing home bed was almost $85.

"Across Australia there are 140,000 nursing home beds so if we applied these cost savings it would equate to a total reduction of almost $12 million," he said.

Mr Sussman's clinical study of 2600 beds in 66 nursing homes throughout Victoria is one of the largest studies of its kind ever undertaken in Australia. Researchers identified healing outcomes of three common wounds found in nursing homes -- skin tears, pressure wounds and leg ulcers.

"By comparing results from two separate groups we found modern standardised moist wound management practices lead to faster healing, less pain and lower costs," he said.

"Our results clearly show it is far cheaper to use modern wound pharmaceutical products compared with old-fashioned and traditionally cheaper items like gauze and paraffin tulle dressings."

The study also revealed a dramatic reduction in nursing hours required for ongoing wound management by applying modern practices -- proving cost effective treatment can produce significant cost savings and improved patient care.

In light of these results, Mr Sussman has recommended changes to aged care policy and produced a protocol template for wound assessment, documentation and treatment.

The study was funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing through the Pharmacy Guild of Australia.

For further information contact Ms Diane Squires in Media Communications on +61 3 9905 5828 or Dr Geoff Sussman on +61 3 9903 9619.