How to Choose Wound Dressings
Wound dressings are single-use medical devices applied to cover, protect, absorb exudate from, and promote healing of acute and chronic wounds across two broad product tiers: traditional (gauze, non-woven pads, bandages) and advanced (foam, hydrocolloid, alginate, hydrogel, film, collagen, silver-impregnated, and bioengineered matrices). Primary institutional buyers are hospital materials management and supply chain teams, wound care clinic managers, ASC administrators, and long-term care facility directors who procure through annual GPO contracts or formulary refresh cycles. Procurement urgency rises with volume surges tied to surgical caseload growth, pressure injury prevention initiatives, and the expanding chronic wound patient population—over 6.5 million Americans with chronic wounds fueling ongoing institutional demand.