Telemedicine

Avoidable pressure injury: The development of a new pressure injury or the worsening of an existing one that results from a failure of the facility or caregivers to adequately identify, prevent, or manage the patient using acceptable care standards.

Even before the onset of COVID-19 and certainly since, health care facilities have faced challenges related to resources, staffing, and infection control. However, telehealth resources can aid across the care continuum. These resources can facilitate patient data dissemination to the multidisciplinary team. For example, a telehealth encounter may help determine the need for an in-person appointment, thus minimizing the amount of travel required by staff and patients to uphold a certain level of care. Mobile technology can also involve patients in their care in new and innovative ways, potentially increasing adherence and optimizing wound care outcomes in the face of evolving obstacles.

By Martin Vera, LVN, CWS

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data tracker, in the United States alone, effective the second week of March 2022, the death toll is just over 963,000—many lives have been lost to this pandemic. In lay terms, the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas holds a total of 80,000 seats. We have lost 12 stadiums full of Americans. TWELVE STADIUMS. Let that sink in. As health care professionals, we are committed to our patients and anyone who may need help. This pandemic has changed the way medicine is currently practiced, not to mention the effect and impact on nursing care and approach.

The digital age is upon us, like it or not, ready or not. For the past few years, payers have incentivized, encouraged, reimbursed, and adopted various digital, remote monitoring systems and devices as a way to encourage providers to adopt more digital, remote methods. Although complete telehealth services were not reimbursed in all care settings in all Zip Codes by all payers throughout the United States at the beginning of 2020, many of the restrictions and barriers to provide nearly complete digital services were suddenly released in response to the needs of a nation in the throes of a pandemic.

By: Holly M. Hovan, MSN, GERO-BC, APRN, CWOCN-AP

Every year, on the first Saturday of October, we celebrate ostomy awareness day. This is a significant day. Ostomies truly are lifesavers for so many people, and it is important that we bring awareness, education, and support to our patients, peers, and community.

This year, the United Ostomy Associations of America (UOAA) is celebrated the 10th anniversary of National Ostomy Awareness Day (this event began in 2010). More information on this day and virtual events can be found here: https://www.ostomy.org/ostomy-awareness-day/

By the WoundSource Editors

The current COVID-19 pandemic has changed various aspects of care across the health care continuum. Health care professionals have been forced to develop different strategies for engagement for those patients at higher risk for infection, those who are quarantined, and those who have tested positive for COVID-19. We know that telemedicine cannot replace an in-person visit to a provider, but during this time of crisis it serves as an advanced approach in wound care.

By the WoundSource Editors

Wound care professionals are feeling the challenges of caring for patients with wounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coming together during this time is paramount for developing the best strategy for delivering quality of care across the continuum. Providers should implement wound management protocols for their specific health care setting to be most efficient.

By Cathy Wogamon, DNP, MSN, FNP-BC, CWON, CFCN

Wound care has evolved into a massive specialty service in the past few decades, with new treatment modalities, advances in care, and thousands of wound care products. On the forefront of advancements in technology and wound care is a new way to provide care to the patient: telehealth.

By Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine Journal Review Club

The advancement of technology and the introduction of the World Wide Web have allowed information to be a click of a button away for health care providers as well as patients. This advancement led to the demand and production of portal devices such as smartphones, which transformed many aspects of society today, including health care. Today, smartphone applications may aid health care providers in drug reference, diagnosis, treatment, literature search, and even medical training. In 2009, an estimated 6.5 million patients had chronic wounds and spent more than $25 billion dollars on wound care. In addition, rising costs of wound management have suggested the need for the use of mobile applications in treatment of wound care patients.

By AristaMD

Savannah, GA – May 15, 2019 – AristaMD, an innovative telehealth platform that delivers timely, documented access to specialist insight through eConsults, partners with Corstrata, a provider of digital health care IT solutions and services for wound prevention and care management, to add board-certified wound and ostomy specialists to its already extensive specialist panel. Due to high client demand, AristaMD’s initiative to partner with Corstrata will ensure its eConsult platform continues to offer the most comprehensive access to specialty care. AristaMD’s wound and ostomy panel is set to launch May 14th.