This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project objective is to evaluate the technical feasibility of a hand-held, point-of-care instrument for the detection of early-stage pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers (PUS) are a common healthcare problem that affects approximately 2.3 million people in the US. Improvement in the objectivity of the early detection of PUs can advance PU treatment and management to improve outcomes. In this project an instrument will be designed with commercially available sensors to allow a clinician to quantitatively measure blanching and erythema, the primary diagnostic cues of an early stage PU. By applying the principals of tissue reflectance spectroscopy blanching and erythema can be accurately measured independent of a patient?s skin color. The instrument will also be designed to measure supporting properties of the skin to provide comprehensive data for PU assessment. The results of the Phase I project are expected to demonstrate the feasibility of developing a low-cost device for rapidly identifying pressure ulcers and at an early stage when they can be treated most effectively.
The broader impact of this project is the address an $11 billion healthcare problem, PUs, in the United States. The primary at risk population for the condition, PUs, is the elderly. The elderly population is expected to double from 40 million to 80 million within the next 15 years. The availability of a low cost diagnostic instrument will improve patient outcomes and cost of PU care. An instrument that can allow caregivers to evaluate the presence of a PU early and objectively will improve patient outcomes through the reduction of advanced stage PU. It will also help maintain and improve the quality of life for people confined to wheelchairs or beds by reducing the incidence of painful ulcers. The financial impacts of the technology include significant potential cost savings to hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and long term care facilities. Based on our an average cost of $43K for an advanced stage PU, a 5% reduction in the incidence of advanced-stage PUs will save the average institution $166K/year.
