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Information for facilities

Are You a Health-care Decision-maker?

In recent years, the number of studies done on the prevalence and costs of pressure ulcers has increased, and we now have a clearer idea of the enormous cost of pressure ulcers to Canadian society.

The  figures below, using recent data, translate into untold patient suffering, caregiver anguish, extra work for health-care providers, and millions spent in health-care dollars—all for a largely preventable condition.

If you are in a position to make decisions about preventing pressure ulcers, here’s what you need to know:

How Many?
The prevalence of pressure ulcers in Canada is 25% in acute care, 30% in non-acute care, 22% in mixed health-care settings, and 15% in community care. (Woodbury MG, Houghton PE. Prevalence of pressure ulcers in Canadian health-care settings. Ostomy/Wound Management. 2004;50(10):22-38. [read article - PDF - reprinted with the kind permission of Ostomy/Wound Management])

How Much?
In a recent U.K. study that breaks down the costs of treating each pressure ulcer by degree of trauma (stages) and complication, figures indicate monthly costs (in Canadian dollars) of:
Uncomplicated Stage I = $2450 to Stage IV: $3230
Complicated with critical colonization Stage II = $3616 to Stage III / IV = $4003
Complicated with osteomyelitis Stage II to IV = $12,658
(Bennett G, Dealy C and Posnett J. The cost of pressure ulcers in the UK. Age and Ageing. 2004;33(3):230-235.)

In Canada, one month of care in the community for a pressure ulcer is $9,000. (Allen J, Houghton PE. Electrical Stimulation: A Case Study for a Stage III Pressure Ulcer. Wound Care Canada. 2004;2(1):34-36.)

In the U.S., studies estimate the cost to heal one ulcer as ranging from U.S. $5,000 to $25,000; the total financial burden runs well over U.S. $5 billion annually. (Gentzkow GD, et al. Improved healing of pressure ulcers using Dermapulse, a new electrical stimulation device. Wounds. 1991;3(5):158-170.)

How Long?
In England the mean length of stay in hospital for a pressure ulcer was 38.3 days (Hospital Episode Statistics, Department of Health, England, 2002-03).

How Bad?
These figures cannot begin to address patient suffering, however. The presence of a pressure ulcer can significantly impair quality of life, result in pain, and lead to deconditioning for patients who are bedridden for extended periods. In some cases, the presence of a pressure ulcer can lead to death. Mortality rates are as high as 60% in the elderly with a pressure ulcer within one year of discharge from hospital. (Lyder CH. Pressure ulcer prevention. Annual Review of Nursing Research. 2002;20:35-61.)

Dollars and Sense
Use this formula to figure out the approximate cost of pressure ulcers to your facility.

Example:

Multiply the answer by $5,000 (a number that reflects the low-end cost for one month of treatment, based on U.S. figures in the second statistic in “How Much?” above, or reflects a conservative mean in the set of statistics from the U.K. study). This is the amount a medium-sized long-term care facility may spend every month to treat their patients with pressure ulcers.

Which Makes More Sense?
In our example above, 60 x $5,000 = $300,000! Which makes more sense: wait to treat pressure ulcers after they develop or prevent them in the first place?

What Can You Do About It? Getting the Program
Get more information about the CAWC's Pressure Ulcer Awareness Program. Visit the Facilities area of this Web site for the details on how you can make the changes necessary to reduce the prevalence of pressure ulcers in your facility/agency.