TIELLE Plus fluid handling capacity can lead to cost savings.

The cost of care plays an increasing role in treatment decisions. As the costs of wound care are largely driven by the costs associated with nurse visits to change patients' dressings, attempts to reduce the number of dressings used and thus the frequency of nurse visits should be welcomed. The acquisition cost of the dressing alone is a poor indicator of the total cost of care. Other factors--especially factors influencing the frequency of nurse visits, such as wear time--need to be considered when making treatment and formulary decisions. This paper assesses the theoretical wear time of a number of dressings based on laboratory data on their fluid-handling capacities. The monthly treatment cost associated with each dressing is based on the theoretical wear time. The results suggest that the superior fluid-handling capacity of TIELLE Plus hydropolymer adhesive dressing can reduce the costs associated with wound care.