COVID-19 pandemic has drastically changed the ways wound clinics operate, with wound care becoming unleashed from site-specific locations. Hence, it is vital for the wound care management clinic to follow best practices to prepare for the second wave of infection during the winter season, as well as creating a post-pandemic wound care model.

The wound care management centers were very much impacted during the global pandemic as many wound centers exist physically in the hospital. And the hospitals had to close the wound centers to reduce the risk of transmission among hospital outpatients.

As there was a scarcity of workforce if the centers remained open, doctors entitled to the multidisciplinary panels like ER doctors and infectious disease specialists were repurposed in preparation for the COVID infected patients. In case the wound care centers were open to function, there was a significant drop in the volume of patients, about 40% of patients had the mindset to remain concealed to avoid the risk of infection by staying safe at home.

The changing model of wound care management during the second wave pandemic

It is a great challenge and quite stressful for patients. With the new model of wound care management, digital technology saves time, reduces administrative burdens usually needed in the assessment and documentation process. More importantly, it also helps to keep patients out of the hospital and at home during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the second wave of the pandemic, the round care management system is committed to joining the effort to fight COVID-19. With time, wound care is harnessing smartphone technology, which makes routine monitoring digital. Traditionally the nurses used to assess and monitor wounds while with digital technology both can be done easily.

• The advancement of the digital tool includes calibration stickers placed on either side of the wound. The final results are uploaded automatically to a portal. It means the healthcare providers of a patient have faster access to the information. Giving the doctors authentic and latest information is vital and wound care is no exception.
• There are tissue viability teams and district nurses who monitor, manage, and treat patients with chronic wounds and pressure ulcers both in and out of the hospital. For such patients, digital wound care management can be a real asset to their daily work. The tissue viability teams are being deployed again for managing COVID-19 efforts. This helps the less experienced nurses to use technology appropriately to manage wound care effectively.
• The wound care management staff are often based in multiple locations both in secondary care and the community. They use different systems to record the information provided by patients. The nurses are empowered to make remote assessments to ensure that NHS multi-disciplinary teams are following the right patient pathway of wound care management.

The post-pandemic is a matter of great concern as the wellbeing of at-risk people has leveled up. The severity of the issue can not be overlooked as the conditions can impact health and wellbeing most acutely. Rather, it is essential to strive to deliver the highest standards of wound care to as many people as possible. The positive side of the post-pandemic is that it has provided a much-needed catalyst for innovation and a revamped mindset of wound care management.

Wound care management can’t be ignored – Final thoughts

As a matter of fact, wound care has transformed significantly during the COVID-19 and post-pandemic. The first wave has brought in bitter memories this winter season and certainly, none of us expect that. It is wise for all of us to polish the standards of operating procedures so that we can efficiently face the stronger infections in this second wave as it will have a bigger impact on the wound care system.

It is definitely wise and worthy to make a note that the post-pandemic model of wound care management may not appear like the first wave of the pandemic model but we need to be all set by adopting the digital technologies, new systems, processes to manage wound care effectively. The post-pandemic model is more focused on the wound center rather than the site-specific location as it is a more effective case management model to find wound patients across the whole system.

About Net Health

Net Health is reuniting caregivers with their calling through cloud-based software for specialty medical providers across the continuum of care. The company serves over 14,000 facilities, including 98 percent of the largest hospital chains, two-thirds of skilled nursing facilities and many leading hospice organizations and private practices. Net Health is a portfolio company of The Carlyle Group, Level Equity and Silversmith Capital Partners.