Telemedicine

As a veteran of the U.S. Army, and having a grandfather who was a U.S. Army combat medic, I have always had an interest in combat wound care. Wound care has evolved immensely throughout the years in the military arena. The treatments used as far back as the fifth century B.C. were inconceivable. Examples are keeping wounds dry, wound irrigation with water and wine, burning oil into infected wounds, and topicals such as egg yolks, rose oil, and turpentine applied to the wound bed. Odor was controlled with bags of lavender at the soldier’s bedside.

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.

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 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 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: 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/

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 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 Cheryl Carver LPN, WCC, CWCA, CWCP, FACCWS, DAPWCA, CLTC Let's be frank: wound care telemedicine cannot replace a visit to a physician's office or the wound care center. Telemedicine was primarily developed to reduce visits and help serve people living in rural communities. However, telemedicine can supplement advanced wound care in many ways, and has been proven to be time saving and effective. Telemedicine in wound care has its pros and cons (like anything else), but with a protocol-driven approach, it is effective for wound healing.