BURDENOFHOSPITALACQUIREDPRESSURE INJURIES(HAPIS)AMONGST HIGH-RISK HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS:AREAL-WORLD ANALYSIS
Author(s)
Justin Gray, MS, MBA1, Rafael Squitieri, MD2, Linda Seaman, MSN, RN2, Rachel Schwingler, MHA2, Chaitanya Badwe, PhD3, Pruthviraj Shivanna, BS4, Chantal Branco, DNP, RN, BS, CCRN, NEA-BC5;
1Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA, 2TurnCare, Palo Alto, CA, USA, 3Definitive Healthcare, Framingham, MA, USA, 4Definitive Healthcare, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, 5Lehigh Valley Health Network/Jefferson Health, Bethlehem, PA, USA
1Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Chicago, IL, USA, 2TurnCare, Palo Alto, CA, USA, 3Definitive Healthcare, Framingham, MA, USA, 4Definitive Healthcare, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India, 5Lehigh Valley Health Network/Jefferson Health, Bethlehem, PA, USA
OBJECTIVES: Hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) have been shown to increase costs and contribute to adverse outcomes in affected patients. This study compared hospital length of stay (LOS), 30-day readmissions, costs and incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in hospitalized high-risk patients who developed HAPIs compared to those who did not.
METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of Definitive Healthcare’s Atlas All-Payor Claims during 2023. Hospitalization and annual costs, LOS, 30-day readmissions and VAP incidence were assessed in the 12 months following index date for patients that did and did not develop HAPIs during their hospitalization.
RESULTS: During 2023, 180,127 patients at high risk of HAPI development were identified with 54.8% female and 48% age 65-80. The most common high risk patient types who developed HAPIs, were septicemia (DRG 871, n=104,449; DRG 870, n=3007), heart failure (DRG 291, n=68,455), intracranial hemorrhage (DRG 240, n=9234) and ECMO (DRG 239, n=1698). Of all high-risk patients, 4.5% developed a PI during their hospitalization and 88.8% (n=159,987) did not develop a PI during the hospitalization or in the one year follow up. LOS (9.22 vs. 7.08), patients with 30-day readmissions (47.7% vs. 33.2%), average cost per admission ($222,488 vs. $118,506), and annual costs were higher ($234,439 vs. $133,630) in patients with HAPIs vs. those without. Additionally, HAPI patients experienced a 6-fold higher incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) vs. those without (1.9% vs. .3% respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates the burden of HAPIs on hospital LOS, 30-day readmissions, costs, and VAP. This data also shows that the prevention of a HAPI is associated with savings of >$100,000 in both cost per admission and annual costs per patient. Hospitals need to deploy effective strategies to prevent HAPIs and reduce both clinical and financial burden on hospitals and patients.
METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of Definitive Healthcare’s Atlas All-Payor Claims during 2023. Hospitalization and annual costs, LOS, 30-day readmissions and VAP incidence were assessed in the 12 months following index date for patients that did and did not develop HAPIs during their hospitalization.
RESULTS: During 2023, 180,127 patients at high risk of HAPI development were identified with 54.8% female and 48% age 65-80. The most common high risk patient types who developed HAPIs, were septicemia (DRG 871, n=104,449; DRG 870, n=3007), heart failure (DRG 291, n=68,455), intracranial hemorrhage (DRG 240, n=9234) and ECMO (DRG 239, n=1698). Of all high-risk patients, 4.5% developed a PI during their hospitalization and 88.8% (n=159,987) did not develop a PI during the hospitalization or in the one year follow up. LOS (9.22 vs. 7.08), patients with 30-day readmissions (47.7% vs. 33.2%), average cost per admission ($222,488 vs. $118,506), and annual costs were higher ($234,439 vs. $133,630) in patients with HAPIs vs. those without. Additionally, HAPI patients experienced a 6-fold higher incidence of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) vs. those without (1.9% vs. .3% respectively).
CONCLUSIONS: This analysis demonstrates the burden of HAPIs on hospital LOS, 30-day readmissions, costs, and VAP. This data also shows that the prevention of a HAPI is associated with savings of >$100,000 in both cost per admission and annual costs per patient. Hospitals need to deploy effective strategies to prevent HAPIs and reduce both clinical and financial burden on hospitals and patients.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2026-05, ISPOR 2026, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Value in Health, Volume 29, Issue S6
Code
EE239
Topic
Economic Evaluation
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies
Disease
SDC: Injury & Trauma, STA: Multiple/Other Specialized Treatments