Improved wound care techniques could cut surgical costs, shorten stays

Thanks to new biological techniques, patients undergoing surgical procedures may be able to speed up recovery times and shorten hospital stays, according to a new report. That means a healthy future for vendors in this space, researchers concluded.

Biological wound dressings--such as artificial skin and collagen--help shorten hospital stays because they're better able to speed the healing process and improve patient care. When patients heal faster, in turn, they tend to have shorter hospital stays.

The report, from research firm Kalorama Information, estimates that the worldwide surgical and trauma wound care market would hit $5.9 billion in 2009, having increased 6.5 percent annually since 2003. Kalorama expects overall growth in this market to continue at 4.8 percent through 2013, despite the pressures imposed by the U.S. recession.

To learn more about this report:
- read this Healthcare Finance News piece