REDUCING HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED CONDITIONS

Hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) can lead to poor outcomes, heighten stress on over-taxed staff, and decrease patient satisfaction. And with CMS limits on reimbursement of HAC-associated costs, hospitals have even greater incentive to curb these costly complications.

Studies have shown that increased ambulation can reduce incidence of clotting events such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, pressure ulcers, hospital-acquired pneumonia, urinary tract infections and paralytic ileus.

Hospitals that improve ambulation rates using the IVEA can potentially see significant savings in these areas. The data tells the story:

DVT

Ambulation has been shown to speed recovery of patients who’ve experienced a clotting event. One study showed that patients with acute proximal DVT encouraged to walk with compression bandages or stockings saw a significant reduction in pain and swelling after the second day, while the control groups saw no improvement until the ninth day.[1]

Potential Savings through Improved Ambulation

Given that the average cost per clotting event is $10,789[2], with proper implementation of the IVEA, an average 250-bed hospital could save $355,000 annually on reduced clotting events.

PRESSURE ULCERS

Prolonged bedrest can cause a host of problems, and pressure ulcers are among the most painful and preventable. The Healthcare Management Council lists them as the most prevalent hospital-acquired condition with an average yearly cost to hospitals of nearly $537,000.[3]

Yet, with early and frequent ambulation, patients might never have to experience the pain and discomfort of a pressure ulcer.

Potential Savings through Improved Ambulation

With proper implementation of the IVEA, an average 250-bed hospital could see costs associated with pressure ulcers reduced by $265,300 annually.

HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED PNEUMONIA

Hospital-acquired pneumonia and ventilator-associated pneumonia are both associated with an average increase in hospital stay of 7 to 9 days.[4] Early mobility, including ambulation, can reduce the occurrence of these dangerous complications.

One study showed that patients who did not participate in early mobility had a HAP occurrence rate of 10 percent. While patients who increased mobility in both duration and distance had an occurrence rate of 3.6 percent.[5]

Potential Savings through Improved Ambulation

With proper implementation of the IVEA, an average 250-bed hospital could save $164,800 annually in costs related to HAP.

HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED UTI

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are among the most common nosocomial infections. With the number of infections in the U.S. surpassing 500,000 per year, the cost to hospitals is between $350 million and $450 million in non-reimbursable costs annually.

One of the best ways to reduce incidence of UTIs is to have the catheter in place for as short a time as possible. Ambulation promotes healing, and the IVEA makes it easier for caregivers to ambulate more patients more often.

Potential Savings through Improved Ambulation

With proper implementation of the IVEA, an average 250-bed hospital could see costs associated with UTIs reduced by $11,000 annually.

HOSPITAL-ACQUIRED PARALYTIC ILEUS

In a 2012 study that looked at the effects of ambulation on postoperative ileus, researchers saw a decrease in the rate of PI among patients on intervention units from 7.3 percent to 4.6 percent – a 37 percent decrease.[6]

Estimating the cost to treat one case of PI at $5,800, the researchers cited a potential annual cost savings of $830,000.

Potential Savings through Improved Ambulation

We estimate that with proper implementation of the IVEA, an average 250-bed hospital could save $242,500 annually on casts associated with paralytic ileus.