What’s In Your Wound Care Toolbox?

What wound care products do you commonly use? I recently listened to Kathleen Schaum, MS, at a Wound Clinic Business meeting and was astonished to learn there are approximately 65 skin substitutes currently on the market. This is in addition to all the other products: dressings, negative pressure devices, offloading devices, etc.   

If you see a lot of wounds, then you see a lot of reps offering you the latest and greatest new product that just came on the market. It can be an overwhelming industry with new products emerging every day. This is not surprising due to the most recent statistics. The number of chronic wounds is an estimated 6.5 million in the United States with a cost to the healthcare industry of over $25 billion annually with these numbers only increasing every year.¹ There clearly is no shortage of wounds.                            

How do you simplify your wound care toolbox? Here are the questions I ask myself when deciding.

• Is the product clinically effective? The science and research should support the use of the product.
• Is it easy to use and apply? This helps you run your office more efficiently. Is it easy to educate others on how to use the product?
• Is there high patient satisfaction? This increases the overall adherence with the modality.
• Is the product easy to order and store?
• Is the product cost-effective?

How do you simplify your wound care toolbox?

Reference

1. Sen CK, Gordillo GM, Roy S, et al. Human skin wounds: a major and snowballing threat to public health and the economy. Wound Repair Regen. 2009; 17(6):763-71.