Community Acquired Pressure Injuries in a Work-Related Spinal Cord Injury Population: Problem Characterization and Assessment of a Working Solution

Barry A. B. White, Carly S. Rivers, Jo-Anne Chisholm, Rhonda Willms, Anthony Papp, Shannon Sproule, Heather McMurtry. Journal of Tissue Viability. Available online 27 July 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.jtv.2020.07.004

Background

To characterize the problem of community-acquired pressure injuries (CAPIs) in a work-related spinal cord injury (SCI) population in Canada and assess the benefits of a person-centered solution. Characterization of the problem and a solution, albeit in an insured Worker’s Compensation Board of British Columbia (WorkSafeBC) cohort, may inform the supply of solutions in the larger SCI population with disparate access to healthcare.

Methods

For this observational study, data on 244 WorkSafeBC clients, who received an intervention featuring pressure injury (PI) assessment between 2011 and 2015, were used to characterize the problem. Data on observed injuries, risk, referrals, and outcomes were linked to healthcare service claims. Employing an activity-based costing methodology, total expenditures on attributed services were calculated for clients with 1 or more PIs. Intervention cost and benefits from the insurer’s perspective are considered.