title: Cost effectiveness of nutrition support in the prevention of pressure ulcer in hospitals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study estimates the economic outcomes of a nutrition intervention to at-risk patients compared with standard care in the prevention of pressure ulcer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Statistical models were developed to predict 'cases of pressure ulcer avoided', 'number of bed days gained' and 'change to economic costs' in public hospitals in 2002-2003 in Queensland, Australia. Input parameters were specified and appropriate probability distributions fitted for: number of discharges per annum; incidence rate for pressure ulcer; independent effect of pressure ulcer on length of stay; cost of a bed day; change in risk in developing a pressure ulcer associated with nutrition support; annual cost of the provision of a nutrition support intervention for at-risk patients. A total of 1000 random re-samples were made and the results expressed as output probability distributions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model predicts a mean 2896 (s.d. 632) cases of pressure ulcer avoided; 12, 397 (s.d. 4491) bed days released and corresponding mean economic cost saving of euros 2 869 526 (s.d. 2 078 715) with a nutrition support intervention, compared with standard care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutrition intervention is predicted to be a cost-effective approach in the prevention of pressure ulcer in at-risk patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital, Herston, Queensland, Australia. merrilyn_banks@health.qld.gov.au
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Banks
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Graves
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ash
mesh_terms: D017046:Cost Savings; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007902:Length of Stay; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D018803:Models, Economic; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000191:economics; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011793:Queensland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012306:Risk