The Specialist Forum Volume 13 No 11 November 2013 | Page 8

SAMED

The hidden costs of
managing wound care

T

he financial cost of managing an uncomplicated wound is
typically relatively modest, comprising staff time and wound
dressings. However, the cost increases significantly where
sub-optimal management results in an adverse outcome such as infection or delayed healing, which increases the risk of hospitalisation
or surgical intervention.
Unfortunately we do not have figures for SA, however in the UK,
the cost of managing a relatively uncomplicated (category 1) pressure
ulcer has been estimated at £1200, but this increases to over £14
000 for a more complicated (category 4) condition. This highlights the
importance of prevention, monitoring and early intervention to avoid
wounds progressing to more complicated states, and increasing the
patient and economic burden.