Evaluating the Health Economic Value of Implementing an All-in-one, Extended-wear Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) Dressing

Introduction: An all-in-one negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) dressing* integrates foam and drape for easy application and is designed for extended wear of up to seven days. This research study aimed to determine the economic value, based on time and cost savings, associat- ed with introducing the all-in-one dressing into the acute care or home health care settings in the US. Methods: Budget Impact Assessments were developed for 1) acute care and 2) home health settings, evaluating the impact of implementing the all-in-one dressing (1x/week applied, @$106.95) to replace exist- ing dressings. In the acute care setting, usage, cost, and application time assumptions included 100 advanced wound care dressings (AWD; changed 4x/week, @$20, 27 sec) and 100 traditional NPWT dressings† (changed 3x/week, @$49.87, 4 min 40 sec). This model included a $5 cost for consumables per dressing change and a nursing hourly rate of $41.38. For home health, the assumption was care for 10 patients using AWD (2 visits/week @$20) and 10 patients using traditional NPWT dressings (3 visits/week) per month, with a monthly mean reimbursement of $2989 per patient and a mean cost per wound care visit of $168.40. Results: Implementing the all-in-one dressing in acute care settings could save 42 (72%) hours of nursing time and $3,201 (30.8%) in dressing change costs, including material and nursing time. In home health care, switching 10 patients from traditional NPWT dressings to AWD could result in 129 (61.8%) fewer visits and $23,400 (60%) savings. The frequen- cy of dressing changes is key to obtaining cost benefits. The break-even point for a cost-neutral exchange of traditional NPWT dressings in acute care settings is reached when the mean wear time is 5 days. Discussion: The cost-benefit in acute care settings is mainly depen- dent on nursing time savings, while in home health care, it is the reduced frequency of visits. HE-003 (RPT-009) Over-the-counter Is Over! the Cost of Wound Care for Patients in the Era of Online Shopping in the United States Charlie B. Fischer, MPH; Liam Singer, MSN, RN – Department of Surgery – Rush University Medical Center; Nicole Siparsky, MD, FACS, FCCM – Chief, Acute Care Surgery and Surgical Critical Care Services; Surgical Director, AICU; Vice Chair of Academic Affairs, Department of Surgery, Rush University Medical Center Introduction: In the past, surgeons prescribed dressings required for healing. These supplies were expensive and unavailable at common brick- and-mortar shops. The out-of-pocket cost of supplies fell to the patient, regardless of insurance status. Today, online retailers offer an expansive array of products without prescription. Providers may be unfamiliar with online options and evolving insurance coverage. The purpose of this investigation is to perform a cost analysis of commonly used dressing materials that are available online. Methods: We surveyed the wound care team informally at an academic medical center in 2024 to identify commonly used retail providers of dressing materials and methods of payment. We identified four retailers: two retail pharmacy chains, one mass-market supercenter, and one major e-commerce retailer. We surveyed the website of each company to identify the cost of commonly employed dressing materials used in our clinic, including wraps, covers, cleansers, packings, and adhesives. Patients employed cash, partial insurance coverage, and complete insurance coverage to pay for materials. Results: Fourteen commonly used dressing materials were identified. These products were available at brick-and-mortar and online retailers. A slim majority of these selected products were the cheapest by unit price on the e-commerce website. However, among the other three retailers who offered both freestanding stores for walk-in service and online pur- chasing (retail pharmacies and the mass-market supercenter), the cost of supplies varied widely by product. Discussion: The concept of wound care products being “by prescrip- tion” is obsolete; each of these commonly used products were available without prescription, over the counter, or online. Some insurance providers have embraced the digital age by expanding Flexible Spending Account (FSA) and Health Savings Account (HSA) coverage for wound care products purchased online. For cost efficiency, we recommend on- line purchasing when possible. Independent dressing suppliers may offer mail-order supplies that are partially or entirely covered by insurance and should be considered as well.