Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) cause pain and discomfort to patients, and use unnecessary health resources. In this study, implementation of the new SEM Scanner™ (Bruin Biometrics, CA, US) technology as an adjunct to the current standard of care practice of visual skin assessments has been tested from probabilistic and costbenefit perspectives. The authors developed probabilistic (decision-tree) modelling and Monte Carlo simulations representing pathways of care that 10,000 patients, admitted to NHS hospitals in the UK, may undergo. They tested two alternate acute hospital scenarios, of lower (1.6%) and higher (6.3%) HAPU incidence rates. Under a conservative range of assumptions and input parameters, they found that implementation of the SEM Scanner technology as an adjunct to the current standard of care is highly likely to lead to significant financial benefits and cost savings.
