The Role of Value Analysis in Pressure Injury Prevention: A Quality Improvement Project

Global pressure injury (PI) statistics reveal that hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain a substantial burden, with over 1 in 10 hospitalized adults being affected. The purpose of this analysis is to describe how consistent collection, analysis, and use of data allow hospitals to validate their clinical and economic outcomes and to adjust PI prevention strategies.

HAPI incidence data for acute care patients at a 280-bed regional community hospital in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States (West Virginia) were collected from January 2012 to July 2023.

Multilayered silicone foam dressings from 3 manufacturers were used during data collection and outcomes evaluated. The average annual HAPI incidence was calculated retrospectively to allow comparison of outcomes during the time periods that various soft silicone multilayered foam manufacturers were used.

When using dressing 1, the hospital experienced an average of 10.40 HAPI per year. When using dressing 2, the hospital experienced an average of 5.56 HAPI per year, and when using dressing 3, the average was 26.29 HAPI per year. Additionally, an estimated sum of US $451 229.91 was saved when using dressing 2 compared to dressing 3, and US $105 352.28 was saved during the use of dressing 2 as compared to dressing 1.

Monitoring data over time can validate product selection decisions to ensure they are advantageous to both costs and the delivery of quality care.