How patients with diabetic foot ulcers experience telemedicine solutions: A scoping review

Effectiveness of continuous home wound care on patients with diabetic foot ulcers

AIMS

To explore the effectiveness of continuous home wound care on patients with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs).

DESIGN

A non-randomized parallel controlled non-inferiority trial.

METHODS

Patients with Wagner grade I-III DFUs hospitalized in two distant campuses of the same hospital were included. All patients received infection treatment and wound bed preparation during hospitalization; after discharge, patients in one of the campuses received routine outpatient wound care, and those treated in the other received continuous home wound care. The per-protocol analysis was performed to compare ulcer healing indicators, knowledge, health belief, self-management behaviour and medical expenses of the two groups.

RESULTS

Between October 2021 and December 2022, 116 patients were enrolled in the study; 107 completed. The home care was not inferior in terms of ulcer healing rate and demonstrated significant enhancements in the understanding of warning signs, health belief and self-management behaviour. Additionally, the home care saved 220.38 yuan (24.32 UK pounds) in direct medical expenses for each additional one square centimetre of ulcer healing.

CONCLUSION

The continuous home wound care enhanced self-management behaviour of the patients and saved their medical expenses while not compromising ulcer healing.

IMPACT

This is to date the first study to conduct continuous home wound care practice for patients with DFUs and confirmed its safety and non-inferiority in ulcer healing, and supported its superiority in improving self-management behaviour and saving medical expenses.

REPORTING METHOD

We have adhered to the transparent reporting of evaluations with nonrandomized designs statements and the corresponding checklist was followed.

PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

The patients and their primary caregivers were involved in intervention design, we received input from them about the factors that facilitate and hinder patient self-management behaviours to develop intervention strategies.

Integrated management of diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) using a smartphone - A case report

INTRODUCTION AND IMPORTANCE

DFU care in India is expensive. Cost-effective integrated care approaches for diabetic wounds are a necessity.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 54-year-old, type 2 diabetic male patient presented with bilateral Grade Four compound DFUs. He also had a peculiar pattern of progressive gangrenous lesions on both toes of his limbs. He was on medication for schizophrenia for 20 years. Doppler studies of both limbs revealed extensive atherosclerotic changes with no flow in the mid and very low flow in the distal left anterior tibial artery.

CLINICAL DISCUSSION

Along with Ayurvedic internal medication, in-home wound care was advised. Wound cleaning (shodhana) was done with Triphala decoction, gauze packing (ropana) with Gandhak druti, and application of Jatyadi oil (snehana) was done daily. The wound inspection was done using a smartphone. Out of six wounds, one infected wound measuring (8 cm-3 cm), one tunnelling wound measuring (9 cm-3 cm), one neuro-ischemic, Grade 4 planter wound, and other non-infected wounds healed within four to ten weeks. It has been observed that all the toes with progressive ischemic black spot on the proximal interphalangeal joint had deteriorated within 20-35 days.

CONCLUSION

Gandhak druti may be effective for progressive wounds. Jatyadi oil application to enhance microcirculation as a preventive therapy should be investigated. Wound dressing guidelines recommended in Ayurveda classics can be followed at diabetic wound in-home care using a smartphone. Correlative timeframe of pathophysiological signs and anatomical site of dermopathy patches can add value to the non-invasive microcirculation detection tests.

Diabetic Foot Ulcers in Geriatric Patients

Care for the patient with diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) entails understanding the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and a systematic approach to diagnosis and treatment. The authors will review elements of DFU in geriatric patients including the pathophysiology of diabetes, epidemiology and management of DFU in the context of developing a Plan for Healing. The authors will discuss comprehensive principles of a Plan for Healing, which applies to all aspects of chronic wounds.

The interplay between patients and healthcare professionals in a cross-sectoral setting in connection with the treatment and care of patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a realistic evaluation

BACKGROUND

Diabetes-related lower extremity complications such as diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) are a global disability burden. Treatment and care for patients with DFU call for a multisectoral approach that incorporates interdisciplinary care pathways. We aimed to explore the interplay between patients with DFU and healthcare professionals in cross-sectoral settings that address treatment and care and to determine "what works, for whom, and under what circumstances".

METHOD

The study was designed as a realistic evaluation. The data were generated from September 2022 to March 2023 and drew upon approximately 60 h of participant observation of 14 patients during the treatment and care of DFUs in their homes (primary care) and/or at outpatient clinics (wound specialist clinics in a hospital setting) in a Danish cross-sectoral setting. The Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) were applied in this study.

RESULTS

We identified three illuminating themes that described the interplay between patients with DFU and related healthcare professionals representing both primary and secondary health care systems: (1) humour is a relationship-enhancing element between nurses and patients; (2) support from patients' coping strategies promotes patient-centeredness and collaboration; and (3) patients and professionals occupy unnegotiated identity roles.

CONCLUSION

Our study led to a refined programme theory developed through the realistic evaluation process that allows us to propose an answer to the problem of "what works, for whom, and under what circumstances". The interplay between patients with DFU and healthcare professionals in a cross-sectoral setting for treatment and care is characterised by the use of humour as a relation-enhancing element and by improving support for patient coping strategies, which encourages healthcare professionals to promote health literacy. Future research should examine strategies for negotiating identity roles between patients with DFU and healthcare professionals to enhance collaboration, patient health literacy, and health promotion in cross-sectoral healthcare settings.

Implementation of a patient-centered remote wound monitoring system for management of diabetic foot ulcers

Background

Regular clinical assessment is critical to optimize lower extremity wound healing. However, family and work obligations, socioeconomic, transportation, and time barriers often limit patient follow-up. We assessed the feasibility of a novel, patient-centered, remote wound management system (Healthy.io Minuteful for Wound Digital Management System) for the surveillance of lower extremity wounds.

Methods

We enrolled 25 patients from our outpatient multidisciplinary limb preservation clinic with a diabetic foot ulcer, who had undergone revascularization and podiatric interventions prior to enrollment. Patients and their caregivers were instructed on how to use the digital management system and asked to perform one at-home wound scan per week for a total of 8 weeks using a smartphone application. We collected prospective data on patient engagement, smartphone app useability, and patient satisfaction.

Results

Twenty-five patients (mean age 65.5 ± 13.7 years, 60.0% male, 52.0% Black) were enrolled over 3 months. Mean baseline wound area was 18.0 ± 15.2 cm2, 24.0% of patients were recovering from osteomyelitis, and post-surgical WiFi stage was 1 in 24.0%, 2 in 40.0%, 3 in 28.0%, and 4 in 8.00% of patients. We provided a smartphone to 28.0% of patients who did not have access to one that was compatible with the technology. Wound scans were obtained by patients (40.0%) and caregivers (60.0%). Overall, 179 wound scans were submitted through the app. The mean number of wound scans acquired per patient was 0.72 ± 0.63 per week, for a total mean of 5.80 ± 5.30 scans over the course of 8 weeks. Use of the digital wound management system triggered an early change in wound management for 36.0% of patients. Patient satisfaction was high; 94.0% of patients reported the system was useful.

Conclusion

The Healthy.io Minuteful for Wound Digital Management System is a feasible means of remote wound monitoring for use by patients and/or their caregivers.