Telemedicine can significantly improve the quality of life for patients with chronic wounds
02.08.2005 Using telemedicine in chronic wound care not only helps reduce therapy costs. The patients too benefit from the electronic exchange of medical data because long trips to wound specialists can be eliminated.
An Austrian study on teledermatology concludes (Dermatology 2005; 210: 211-217) that a high quality of treatment is ensured. Dr. Wolfgang Salmhofer and his colleagues from the University of Graz assessed the role of teledermatology for the treatment of patients with venous leg ulcers. In the study, 87 patients with 110 ulcers were examined by young physicians who were experienced in the treatment of chronic wounds, but were not specialists in this field. Digital images and the clinical data needed for diagnosis were then sent over the Internet to a physician specialized in wound treatment. Especially for the assessment of wound conditions, the physicians involved in teledermatology and physicians treating patients locally reported similar results. The clinically relevant parameters of debris, necrosis and granulation tissue were identical at 84.6%, 98.2% and 76.4%. A high degree of agreement was also seen in the recommended treatment options for mechanical debridement (73.6%) and compression therapy with short-stretch bandages (89.1%).
