Electronic Medical Record (EMR): A digital version of the paper charts in the clinician’s office. An EMR contains the medical and treatment history of each patient in the practice.

EMR Systems and Health Care Reporting: Electronic medical record (EMR) systems are software programs that provide multifaceted management tools for the operation of health care facilities. EMR platforms may be integrated with third-party organizations, patient tracking, and analytical reporting. EMR and reporting systems may be customized to meet wound care or other specialty facilities’ management requirements.

Patient Monitoring Systems: Systems designed to monitor patient activities and provide real-time data on device use, activity, and/or risk factors associated with injury, such as incontinent episodes or therapeutic device monitoring.

Patient Monitoring Technologies: Generally wireless devices that monitor such variables as patient position, movement, and skin temperature. They may also feature auditory cues, alerting patients and caregivers that the patient needs to be repositioned.

Practice Management Resources: Resources consisting of services, databases, and other digital resources that clinics can access to develop wound care programs, contact wound care clinicians, request a second opinion, or request a consultation. These resources may provide training, management, and telehealth services, and they may integrate with electronic medical record platforms.

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Risk Assessment: The process of identifying risk factors that may contribute to the development of a condition.

Risk factor: A patient-related quality that creates higher susceptibility for a given condition, such as diabetes creating an increased chance for a patient to develop a surgical site infection. Risk factors may be modifiable or non-modifiable.

Telehealth: A broader scope of remote health care services than telemedicine. Telehealth uses a video visit via a device that connects to the internet such as a computer, tablet, or smartphone. Telehealth can refer to remote non-clinical services, such as provider training, administrative meetings, and continuing medical education, in addition to clinical services utilizing video visit via a device that connects to the Internet.

Wound Assessment and Monitoring Systems: Devices or digital aids used in the measurement, imaging, and documentation of wounds. Digital devices may provide two- or three-dimensional assessment of a wound with electronic medical record software integration and may be non-contact.

Wound Measurement Devices: Products specifically designed for wound assessment, measurement, and documentation. Such devices may be manual, as with measuring tape, skin markers, or tracing materials, or digital, as in cameras or other measurement technology.

The views and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author, and do not represent the views of WoundSource, HMP Global, its affiliates, or subsidiary companies.