The cost-effectiveness of wound dressings

Abstract

The current economic downturn in the UK and other countries has caused healthcare organisations to justify the costs of more advanced technologies. This is seen especially within the wound care discipline. The costs of healthcare account for a third of all UK government spend and with the prevalence of chronic wounds increasing, the cost of modern wound care is becoming more strained and open to scrutiny. Healthcare decision makers should not base their decisions on cost of dressings alone, but take into account the costs mitigated by using an advanced wound therapy. A clinical-economic assessment should be performed on a number of advanced therapies to assess if these are indeed more cost-effective long-term.