June 2022 edition
Sydney Local Health District has proposed a new local model of care for wound management that utilises a Digital Wound Application in the setting of a Virtual Wound Care Command Centre. The aim is to improve assessment, management and documentation processes for all patients with complex and chronic wounds.
Across the district, over 4,000 chronic wound patients are discharged annually and nearly 100,000 wound service events occur in outpatient settings. In the COVID-19 pandemic, telehealth consultations in association with digital applications enabled effective remote wound care monitoring with timely interventions for patients with chronic wounds.
Patients with wounds seek care from a wide range of community‑based services and health care professionals, from primary to the acute care sector. These services vary in their knowledge, skills and ability to heal chronic wounds, and the transition between these services is not adequately coordinated.
Access to expert wound advice is often limited to specialised clinics, which are often confined to major cities and towns.
Overall, the lack of coordination between health care sectors and difficulties in accessing wound care expertise contributes to increased health care costs and inferior outcomes for wound patients.
A recent research study conducted by the district showed that a new model of care will:
The Digital Wound Application in the Virtual Wound Care Command Centre (eWCC) will improve assessment, management and documentation processes for all patients with complex and chronic wounds.
The new wound application in eWCC will: