Trends

“Medical professionals are no longer willing to accept a product without clinical evidence to support the authenticity of the product. In addition, as CMS recently created a completely new set of [diagnosis-related groups] providing less payment for hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, there is increased ‘pressure’ on hospitals to reduce the number of patients who acquire these conditions. Huge reductions in pressure ulcer occurrences can be achieved with the use of static air support surfaces.”

— Scott Rogers, president, EHOB Inc.

“Health care facilities around the globe find themselves burdened with extremely high expenditures for negative pressure wound therapy where alternative suppliers and equipment are just now being introduced into the market. More competition is expected to drive the unit costs lower, enabling health care providers to either reduce their overall expenditures or provide the technology to a greater number of patients who require it.”

— Jack Van Dyke, director of American operations, Talley Group

“Pressure ulcer prevention awareness is driving global focus on policies and practices. Comprehensive 24-hour pressure relief is an important factor in prevention. There is a wide variety of pressure relief mattress replacement surfaces from foam to alternating pressure, low air loss and lateral rotation. Proper risk assessment and care plans can help determine the best surface to use in each case.”

— Marilyn Malone, product manager, Invacare Corp.