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Improved wound management at lower cost: a sensible goal for Australia
- Source :
- International Wound Journal. 13:303-316
- Publication Year :
- 2015
- Publisher :
- Wiley, 2015.
-
Abstract
- Chronic wounds cost the Australian health system at least US$2·85 billion per year. Wound care services in Australia involve a complex mix of treatment options, health care sectors and funding mechanisms. It is clear that implementation of evidence-based wound care coincides with large health improvements and cost savings, yet the majority of Australians with chronic wounds do not receive evidence-based treatment. High initial treatment costs, inadequate reimbursement, poor financial incentives to invest in optimal care and limitations in clinical skills are major barriers to the adoption of evidence-based wound care. Enhanced education and appropriate financial incentives in primary care will improve uptake of evidence-based practice. Secondary-level wound specialty clinics to fill referral gaps in the community, boosted by appropriate credentialing, will improve access to specialist care. In order to secure funding for better services in a competitive environment, evidence of cost-effectiveness is required. Future effort to generate evidence on the cost-effectiveness of wound management interventions should provide evidence that decision makers find easy to interpret. If this happens, and it will require a large effort of health services research, it could be used to inform future policy and decision-making activities, reduce health care costs and improve patient outcomes.
- Subjects :
- Health economics
Referral
Cost–benefit analysis
business.industry
Health services research
Dermatology
Credentialing
030207 dermatology & venereal diseases
03 medical and health sciences
Wound care
0302 clinical medicine
Nursing
Health care
Medicine
Surgery
030212 general & internal medicine
business
health care economics and organizations
Reimbursement
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17424801
- Volume :
- 13
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- International Wound Journal
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi...........a0c7b36c52ae5b19229db2106ffbc302