Eucomed, the voice of the medical technology in Europe, urged policy-makers to take measures ensuring that wounds are appropriately diagnosed and treated. Eucomed has identified several policy measures which can improve the way wounds are managed and treated in healthcare settings. Health authorities should support and promote research and exchange of best practice, including after-care, for the treatment of wounds and the prevention of wound complications.
Education for healthcare providers on the importance of wound care is essential for a good quality health system, and there is a need to foster education and training of healthcare workers at Member State level, with particular provisions for healthcare workers specialising in wound care.
Member States should review the availability of, and access to, best practice wound treatments as part of their ongoing efforts to identify and promote best practice in patient care.
The association is convinced that the commission’s initiatives on patient safety have great potential for helping to raise standards of wound care. Furthermore, implementing its policy recommendations will help reduce the total number of hospital-acquired infections that affect between 8 and 12% of patients in Europe.
“Excess mortality among patients contracting a surgical wound infection is 5%, and the cost of surgical infection is estimated at between €1.74m and €2.34m annually for a typical hospital.” said Lundgren. “In addition to today’s challenges, the treatment of chronic wounds will become a more major concern for health care systems in Europe as the population ages, because of the strong correlation between age and the prevalence of chronic wounds.”
Hans Lundgren, chairman of Eucomed’s Advanced Woundcare Group met with MEP Amalia Sartori, the Parliament’s rapporteur on the Council Recommendation on Patient Safety to talk about better addressing this important issue in Europe.