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Clinical Research
Home health agencies (HHAs) direct a significant portion of their resources toward wound care to alleviate its burden on patients and society.1 Evidence shows that a digital wound care solution (DWCS) supports practice improvement and enhances organizations’ clinical capacity.2
This retrospective study assessed the average time to heal wounds across a cross-sectional sample of 128 HHAs that adopted DWCS as part of their advanced wound care programs from 2020-2022. It also tracked the change in healing times in 2021 vs. 2022 in a subgroup of 36 HHAs that have sustained using the Solution since 2020.
Methods:
Using the DWCS database, a cross-sectional sampling was conducted to access 139,198 wound data evaluated using the Solution at 128 organizations from 2020-2022. Further, healing data stratified by wound types across the subgroup was accessed from 2021-2022.
Results:
Of the 139,198 wounds assessed in 2020-2022, a downward trend in the average days to heal wounds was observed, with an overall reduction of 13.6 days— from 61.2 in 2020 to 47.6 days in 2022—resulting in a 22.2% faster healing.
32,101 and 31,822 wounds were evaluated and managed using the DWCS at the subgroup of 36 HHAs in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Of those, 32.6% were healed in 2021 and 32.8% in 2022. Our analysis showed a significant savings of 11.1 days to heal a wound in 2022 vs. 2021— a 21.4% faster healing across the subgroup. These organizations also recorded 31%, 28% and 13% faster healing of diabetic, venous ulcers, and pressure injuries, respectively, in 2022 vs. 2021.
Discussion:
Using DWCS to support advanced wound care programs leads to faster average healing times. These positive results were consistent across all organizations from 2020- 2022, showing the long-lasting effectiveness of DWCS in improving wound care outcomes. The DWCS can significantly support enhanced clinical efficiency in HH.
Trademarked Items:
References: 1. Ayello E, Lyder C. A new era of pressure ulcer accountability in acute care. Advances in Skin & Wound Care. 2008; 21: 141–142. DOI:10.1097/01.ASW.0000305425.48047.a5.
2. Song EH, Milne C, Hamm T, et al. A Novel Point-of-Care Solution to Streamline Local Wound Formulary Development and Promote Cost-effective Wound Care. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2020 b;33(2):91-97. doi: 10.1097/01.