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Estimating the cost impact of dressing choice in the context of a mass burns casualty event
Julia Lowin,
Tom Winfield,
Tricia Price,
Pippa Anderson,
Tom Potokar 
Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters, Volume: XXXIII, Issue: 3, Pages: 222 - 226
Swansea University Authors:
Julia Lowin, Tricia Price, Pippa Anderson, Tom Potokar
Abstract
SUMMARY. Mass casualty burn events (MCBs) require intense and complex management. Silver-infused longer use dressingsmight help optimise management of burns in an MCB setting. We developed a model estimating the impact of dressing choice inthe context of an MCB. The model was developed in Excel in c...
| Published in: | Annals of Burns and Fire Disasters |
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| Published: |
2020
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| Online Access: |
http://www.medbc.com/annals/review/vol_32/num_3/v32n3content.htm |
| URI: | https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa53529 |
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| Abstract: |
SUMMARY. Mass casualty burn events (MCBs) require intense and complex management. Silver-infused longer use dressingsmight help optimise management of burns in an MCB setting. We developed a model estimating the impact of dressing choice inthe context of an MCB. The model was developed in Excel in collaboration with experienced emergency response clinicians. Themodel compares use of silver-infused dressings with use of traditional dressings in patients with partial thickness burns covering30% of their body. Costs were estimated from a UK perspective as a proxy for a funded emergency response team and limitedto cost of dressings, bandages, padding, analgesia and staff time. Expected patient costs and resource use were summarised overan acute 2-week intervention period and extrapolated to estimate possible time savings in a hypothetical MCB. Per patient costswere estimated at £2,002 (silver) and £1,124 (traditional) (a daily additional spend of £63). Per patient staff time was estimatedat 864 minutes (silver) and 1,200 minutes (traditional) (a daily time saving of 24 minutes). Multiplying up to a possible MCBpopulation of 20 could result in a saving equivalent to 9 staff shifts over the 2-week intervention period. The model was sensitiveto type of silver dressing, frequency of dressing change and staff costs. We found increased costs through use of silver dressingsbut time savings that might help optimise burns management in an MCB. Exploring the balance between costs and staff timemight help future MCB response preparation.Keywords: mass casualty incident, burns, silver dressing, SSD, cost model |
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| Keywords: |
mass casualty incident, burns, silver dressing, SSD, cost model |
| College: |
Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences |
| Issue: |
3 |
| Start Page: |
222 |
| End Page: |
226 |