Brekelmans W, Borger van der Burg BLS, Tolen NJ, Hoencamp R, et al.
Advances in skin & wound care. Date of publication 2022 Dec 1;volume 35(12):669-673.
1. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2022 Dec 1;35(12):669-673. doi:
10.1097/01.ASW.0000874164.88278.70. Epub 2022 Oct 1.
Quality of Care and Cost-effectiveness: Optimizing Wound Care in the
Netherlands.
Brekelmans W(1), Borger van der Burg BLS, Tolen NJ, Hoencamp R.
Author information:
(1)Wouter Brekelmans, MD, a Physician, PhD Candidate, and Head of the Alrijne
Wound Centre (Surgery), Leiderdorp, the Netherlands. Boudewijn L. S. Borger van
der Burg, MD, PhD, is Vascular Surgeon, Alrijne Hospital. Nicole J. Tolen, MD,
is Physician, Alrijne Wound Centre (Surgery). Rigo Hoencamp, MD, PhD, is
Vascular, Trauma, and Military Surgeon, Alrijne Hospital and Dutch Ministry of
Defense.
OBJECTIVE: Previously, the authors implemented a "fast-track protocol" in the
Netherlands to shorten the time to referral for patients when diagnostic testing
was deemed necessary given suspicion of underlying pathology preventing wound
healing. This subanalysis of the cross-sectional study presents the cost
reduction of using that fast-track protocol.
METHODS: The cross-sectional study data were collected at the Alrijne Wound
Centre between January 2017 and January 2018 and included patients from two
general practitioner practices and a large home-care organization who had a new
occurrence of wounds. The cost-effectiveness analysis consisted of an analysis
of the mean reduction in care, wound dressing materials, and reduction in
unnecessary hospital referrals.
RESULTS: In 2017, a total of 415 patients received wound care of the general
practitioners or home-care organization. By using the "fast-track" protocol,
costs were reduced in all areas. After extrapolation, the minimum mean cost
reduction in wound care was €129,949,638; on wound dressings, it was €2,623,920,
and on the reduction of unnecessary hospital referrals, the average recovery was
€2,436,000.
CONCLUSIONS: Prompt triage, analyses, and treatment of underlying causes by
specialized doctors in a multidisciplinary setting offer enormous potential for
cost savings. The conservative estimate is that approximately €135,000,000 to
€293,000,000 can be saved in annual healthcare costs in the Netherlands using
this protocol.
Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.
DOI: 10.1097/01.ASW.0000874164.88278.70
PMID: 36179322 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
