By Cathy Thomas Hess, Chief Clinical Officer, Net Health
Twitter: @nethealth_us
Wound care has undergone a substantial evolution over the past few years, beginning with the introduction of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) and continuing today with the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).
It has been quite a journey. Before the advent of technology, practicing wound care was akin to walking a tightwire without a safety net. Why? While practitioners could rely on their critical thinking skills and processes and procedures were in place, a consistent method for accurately measuring wounds, sharing data, and ensuring adherence to best practices was missing.
Fast forward to the 2020s, and so much has changed. EHRs are now a staple for almost every provider. There’s an increased emphasis on best practices and technology. However, some outdated practices persist. Many providers still use conventional rulers and cellophane to trace and measure chronic wounds like diabetic foot ulcers, pressure injuries (e.g., bed sores) and non-healing surgical incisions. Wound measurement is critical to healing and managing patient outcomes. It shows a wound’s progress or lack thereof, provides clinicians with vital data, and helps engage and motivate patients. The current manual method is time-consuming, leads to a measurement error rate of nearly 45%, and hampers optimal patient care.
Industry Faces Wide-Range of Challenges
Wound care faces other obstacles, ranging from staffing and reimbursement issues to complex and ever-changing documentation, coding requirements, and related penalties. For instance, wounds identified as hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs), labeled as “Never Events” by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), primarily affects aging populations or mobility-challenged patients or those with chronic conditions like diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Hospitals, Skilled Nursing and other facilities face heavy penalties and fines if a pressure injury occurs during their stay.
Approximately 80% of hospitals are hit with a HAPI penalty annually, potentially leading to millions of dollars in uncompensated care. Moreover, diabetic-related amputations have seen a rise over the past decade. Approximately 130,000 individuals in the US undergo below-the-knee amputations due to non-healing wounds. Yet, according to the CDC, up to “85% of diabetes-related amputations are preventable with education and early intervention.”
Innovations Making a Difference
Despite these challenges, the promise on the horizon lies in the various innovative technologies introduced over the past decade. One of the earliest and perhaps most significant was the advent of mobile applications, enabling providers to use smartphones and digital images to obtain accurate wound measurements.
Wound care applications can reduce measurement errors by 90% or more and enable seamless integration of vital wound care data into the EHR, facilitating clinical decision-making among the entire team. These applications improve outcomes and promote greater health equity by providing clinicians with a consistent and efficient management tool across all populations.
Enter ML and AI + The Future of Wound Care
Some of the more significant advancements in wound care innovations involve ML and AI technologies. For instance, our company has developed an AI-based Pressure Injury Deterioration Risk Tool, which predicts the potential deterioration of pressure injuries. This tool aids clinicians in proactively identifying at-risk pressure injuries, improving patient outcomes, increasing efficiencies, and reducing possible penalties.
Moreover, technology can also address operational challenges in wound care. Staffing is one of the critical obstacles the industry faces today due to a shortage of providers and rising turnover rates. Administrative demands involving repetitive tasks and taking time away from direct patient care often lead to attrition. Technology streamlining workflow and simplifying administrative tasks marks a significant advancement that can manage staffing issues and help retain dedicated providers by creating necessary efficiencies and a more enjoyable workplace.
The future of wound care promises continued growth and advancements due to the ongoing focus on improving patient care and technological innovations. Developments in AI and ML further expand the use of predictive analytics, providing clinicians with more accurate and comprehensive triaged information for critical thinking and timely decision-making. Furthermore, bringing these proven technologies to more providers and patients will ensure additional populations can access and benefit from their use.
The key is utilizing technologies that work seamlessly into workflows, ultimately saving providers time, managing costs, and focusing on improving patient outcomes and quality of life. When healthcare providers focus on these priorities, all participants along the continuum will benefit.