Patient Outcomes

Paula Erwin-Toth, RN, MSN, FAAN

Hello to my wound care colleagues around the world. As I write this blog, the news relating to the results of COVID-19 continues to provide evidence of the profound impact this pandemic has had on those suffering from the disease and the negative impact shut downs and quarantines have had on the health of people with chronic illnesses. We, as health care providers, are under tremendous stress as many of us have been re-deployed to maintain and support the overwhelming challenges of front-line health care providers serving patients with COVID-19. We, too, are on the front lines helping to maintain skin integrity in critically ill patients who are often intubated and placed in the prone position. The physical, emotional, and financial strains on patients, health care providers, businesses, and governments are going to affect us for years to come.

By Alton R. Johnson Jr., DPM

It all started with a phone call at close to midnight on a Saturday night from my physician’s phoneline app. It was an established wound care patient calling me to state that his negative pressure therapy device went awry. He was requesting advice to resolve the issue. Out of these growing concerns, he stated that if there was no solution, he would be immediately reporting to our hospital emergency room, which was not his preference in such a situation. In response, I simply informed the patient it was safe to turn off the device and that I would make a home visit to him at 5 o’clock the next morning. With a sigh of relief, he agreed to the plan.

By Becky Naughton, RN, MSN, FNP-C, WCC

Picture this: you've been seeing a patient in your wound center for the last several months to treat a slowly healing post-operative abdominal wound. The wound has been gradually responding to an assortment of treatments, including initial wound vacuum therapy after the surgery, followed by alginate and now a collagen dressing. The wound is getting smaller and has new granulation tissue at the base. You're actually a bit surprised that it's healing so nicely because the patient has multiple serious chronic illnesses, including severe chronic kidney disease that requires hemodialysis sessions three times per week, type 2 diabetes, morbid obesity, cardiovascular disease, and peripheral vascular disease.

By the WoundSource Editors

When determining the course of action for treating a given wound, it is important that wound care clinicians evaluate how advanced wound care therapies have been deemed evidence based and how the specific product technology works. Evidence-based advanced wound care products are required to be safe and effective based on epidemiology, etiology, and pathophysiology. However, safety and efficiency are not a 100% guarantee of effectiveness in clinical practice.

By the WoundSource Editors

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) complications are challenging and costly. Evidence-based practice and advanced wound care technologies have the potential to maximize good outcomes and prevent ulcer recurrence, but ensuring that patients receive education on diabetes management and DFU prevention is also a vital step. Over time, people with unmanaged diabetes have increased chances of complications such as neuropathy, peripheral vascular disease (PVD), chronic DFUs, infections, osteomyelitis, amputation, and even death.

By the WoundSource Editors

Advanced wound care technologies have come a long way in treating chronic wounds. However, diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) can be challenging, and not every patient should have identical treatment. Utilizing a patient-centered approach is necessary for selecting appropriate treatments and achieving best possible outcomes. Understanding the specific patient’s needs and understanding the pathophysiology of diabetic wound chronicity are key elements in DFU management. The primary goal should be wound closure, while also preventing recurrence. To achieve both goals, clinicians must incorporate ongoing education and clinical support. Health care professionals should keep up on latest evidence-based research and practices to select the best advanced treatment for each patient.

By the WoundSource Editors

Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) continue to be a major problem, causing patient suffering, burden, infections, and high mortality. The cost of DFU treatment was estimated at $1.3 trillion globally in 2015. Despite evolving advanced wound care technologies through the years, DFUs continue to be among the most challenging chronic wound types.

Holly Hovan MSN, RN-BC, APRN, ACNS-BC, CWOCN-AP

As you may have already heard, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated 2020 as the year of the nurse and midwife. The WHO has informed us that in order to achieve universal health coverage by 2030, we need 9 million more nurses and midwives! This is a huge number. Just think, if 9 million more nurses and midwives are needed, how many more wound, ostomy, and continence (WOC) specialists are going to be needed?

By Lydia Corum RN MSN CWCN

The times are changing in the world of wound care. There used to be a time when there were no problems with reimbursements, as long as the doctor wrote the order. Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) regulations confuse clinicians and make the world of healing wounds much more difficult. The changes are in the area of denials with not enough information given for choosing dressings, use of negative pressure therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Are all these changes needed? Why are these changes happening? What can hospitals and wound clinics do to make things better?

By Kara S. Couch, MS, CRNP, CWCN-AP

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers (HAPUs) pose a challenge for acute and post-acute care environments and are listed as hospital-acquired conditions (HACs) by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Other HACs include central line–associated blood stream infections (CLABSIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). Although CLABSIs and CAUTIs have seen a decrease in prevalence over the past decade, the HAPU is the only HAC that has not. In my recent WoundSource webinar, I discussed the topic of building a pressure ulcer prevention program within hospitals. The webinar is still available for viewing on WoundSource.com.