STUDY: Care Teams Reduce Costs, but Not Pressure Ulcers

Multidisciplinary care teams failed to improve the treatment of pressure ulcers in nursing homes, although they did significantly reduce costs, a recent study shows.

Researchers analyzed care teams assembled at 12 long-term care facilities in Ontario to determine whether they had an impact on improving pressure-ulcer care.

The teams were made up of advanced practice nurses who specialized in wound care, as well as registered nurses, nursing assistants, and personal support workers.

The researchers found “no statistically significant differences” between the multidisciplinary teams and a control group in terms of improving care for pressure ulcers.

However, the researchers did find a “mean reduction in direct-care costs of $650 per resident compared to ‘usual care.'” They concluded that the advanced practices nurses were responsible for reducing unnecessary costs associated with non-evidence-based treatments for pressure ulcers.

The study was published on February 24 by BioMed Central‘s Health Services Research.

— by Matthew Ozga