Clinical and economic improvements in pressure injury care at Ballarat Health Services.

Abstract

Abstract: Objective: Ballarat Health Services (BHS) in partnership with Nursing Practice Solutions Inc. (NPS) and Smith and Nephew Pty Ltd embarked upon the implementation of a proactive Wound Care Improvement (WCI) program with the aim of achieving improved patient and economic outcomes.

Setting: The program was implemented at BHS, a regional health service in Australia, in the acute, subacute and aged residential care settings.

Design: The program utilised a methodology first introduced in Ontario, Canada, which focused on the delivery of best practice wound care across the organisation. Using an initial benchmark assessment of the organisation's outcomes, performance and educational needs, BHS implemented appropriate interventions aimed at creating and sustaining best practice wound care for all patients, decreasing pressure injury point prevalence and generating economic improvements.

Findings: A 66% decrease in organisational pressure injury point prevalence and an improvement in the use of advanced dressing products used in the prevention and treatment of pressure injuries are documented accomplishments. There was an estimated saving of over 10,000 bed days and $4.4 million as a consequence of reducing the pressure injury point prevalence. BHS has also achieved one of the lowest international pressure injury prevalence rates. Resources including hospital staff, beds and wound care products were all used more efficiently as a result of the decrease in pressure injury point prevalence.

Conclusion: Ballarat Health Services' implementation of the WCI program has shown that a consistent, evidence-based structured approach to pressure injury prevention and management can result in improved patient and economic outcomes.