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Clinical Research
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Cost comparison of silver impregnated hydrofiber and alginate dressings Jean deLeon, MD, Melody Nagel, PT, Michelle Fudge, PT, Adora Lucius, CWOCN, Nancy Sweeney-May, WOCN The benefit of silver as an effective antimicrobial agent and the role of silver in promoting wound healing are well documented in the literature. The creation of time released silver dressings using either a hydrofiber or alginate have further increased the popularity of silver as part of a moist wound healing strategy. Large hospital systems subsequently have realized the financial burden of these dressings. Over a 10 month period, 19 patients with a total of 38 wounds were evaluated. These wounds were of variable etiologies but represented a simple dressing of the trialed product within hospital standard wound care practice. They were of similar severity scores. Thirteen patients with eighteen wounds and a mean Bates-Jensen-Wound Assessment Tool (BWAT) score of 33.02 were treated with a silver impregnated hydrofiber. They demonstrated an average area closure of 2.51cm2 at a rate of 0.15cm2/day. The second group consisted of six patients with twenty wounds and a mean BWAT score of 33.04. This trial group was treated with a silver impregnated alginate. They closed an average area of 7.85 cm2 at a rate of 0.22cm2/day. The average wound care cost per day was 31% less for the group utilizing the silver impregnated alginate compared to the group utilizing the silver impregnated hydrofiber. The cost of the silver impregnated alginate was 24% less per sheet compared to the hydrofiber and the healing rates were comparable. This limited trial indicated a projected savings of over $8,000/year for our 68 bed facility, and has served as a basis for a system wide change. |
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