Preferences of patients, doctors, and nurses regarding wound dressing characteristics: a conjoint analysis

The different choices doctors, nurses, and patients make regarding wound dressing materials are generally based on personal preferences, because strong evidence and guidelines on local wound care for open wounds are lacking. We studied which attributes of a wound dressing doctors, nurses, and patients consider the most important. A conjoint analysis questionnaire comprising paper-based descriptions with six attributes, and questions regarding the willingness-to-pay for these attributes were sent out to surgical patients, (assistant)-surgeons and nurses. Preferences for wound dressing attributes were similar for doctors (n=50), nurses (n=150), and patients (n=74). Pain during dressing changes, duration of hospitalization, and wound healing time were ranked highest. Doctors would spend more money on a shorter hospitalization, nurses on pain reduction, and patients on quicker wound healing. Patients were willing to pay a relatively small monthly amount out of pocket for a dressing that would result in a quicker and less-painful wound healing. Doctors, nurses, and patients prefer similar attributes of wound dressing materials, but differ in their willingness-to-pay. To achieve a more consistent local wound care, clinical decision-making should be in accordance with these preferences. These should also be the focus for manufacturers and researchers to obtain more evidence on which materials best match these attributes.