Improving Wound Care Program Performance Starts with Great Technology Mentors

From national healthcare systems to university medical centers, the wound care industry, along with other healthcare fields, has been marked by the transformative power of technology. When it comes to wound care innovations, they aren’t just an optional add-on to practice; it marks a paradigm shift that can significantly elevate outcomes, quality of care, revenue, and even the daily routine for busy wound care providers.

However, it’s true potential is often lost when colleagues need help understanding or embracing it or when there are gaps in tech utilization. It happens when one provider fully uses a tech platform and another sticks with measuring wounds manually, using handwritten notes that must be transcribed into the electronic health record (EHR), or perhaps not using their wound care app consistently to take and share wound images. They are good providers; they care for patients, but time, efficiency, and opportunities are lost when they don’t fully embrace technology.

There is a solution: fully realizing the potential of wound care technologies lies in the hands of dedicated individuals in hospital wound care departments, clinics, and private practices who support and advocate for advanced wound tech. When these colleagues take on the mantle of mentors, and generously share their knowledge and experience, they can play a crucial role in educating and guiding their peers on the benefits of optimizing the use of wound care technologies.

The Power of Digital Wound Care Programs

One of the most significant advancements in our field recently is the advent of AI-powered digital wound platforms. This tech, which uses smartphones to take 3D images of wounds and integrate them seamlessly into EHRs, is revolutionizing wound care management. It provides accurate wound measurements, tracks healing progress over time, and offers previously unattainable insights.

Take the example of a patient with a severe hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI). Using the hospital’s new digital wound care program, one nurse can capture insights into the wound’s status and potential progression that were not visible through standard techniques.

This technology would allow her to better understand the wound’s status and monitor subtle changes critical in adjusting the treatment plan. Without it, she might miss these nuances; with it, she can help change the wound’s trajectory.  Her experience in turn can encourage colleagues to embrace the new tech, potentially helping more patients with time-saving techniques and advanced aid in diagnosis and treatment.

Mentoring for Better Outcomes

Despite the clear benefits, some in the industry are still hesitant to fully optimize the use of wound care technologies. Knowing the stresses and demands on wound care providers, this is understandable. The reasons vary—some are intimidated by the learning curve, others are skeptical about the effectiveness of these tools, and others are afraid the promise won’t live up to the practice. This is where mentoring becomes essential.

Mentoring is more than just teaching someone how to use a new app or device; it’s about fostering a culture of continuous learning and improvement. The most effective mentorship starts by demonstrating the practical benefits of technology. The “show me, don’t tell me” approach. 

People need to see first-hand that solutions can streamline documentation, provide more precise data, and ultimately lead to better patient outcomes—and that it can be done quickly. New analysis has shown that, with an AI-powered wound care platform, processes that used to take 15 to 20 steps can be reduced to just five, saving up to two hours a day.

Mentors need to highlight more than saving time. In wound care, it’s also about accuracy and consistency, which ultimately leads to better patient outcomes. I heard about one wound care nurse who had used rulers and acetate to measure wounds for 20 years. It worked for her; she felt (and was) competent with that method, and frankly, she was very busy, and it was difficult for her to find time to learn a new process.

Then she learned about the errors that could be made in manual wound measurement – up to 45% – among not just different providers – but even individuals. Knowing how vital consistent wound measurement is, she realized it was time to explore wound care tech. Luckily, she worked in a facility with a tech champion who guided her through the basics and highlighted the benefits of investing a short-amount of time to optimize use of wound tech.

The Cost of Technological Hesitance

When providers don’t fully understand or embrace technology, facilities lose more than just efficiency—they lose opportunities to provide the best possible care. The errors inherent in manual measurements can have significant repercussions. It can result in prolonged healing times, increased risk of infection, and higher healthcare costs due to ineffective interventions.

What’s more, handwritten patient notes can be lost or misplaced and subjective observations can vary between providers. This lack of standardization can result in fragmented care and missed opportunities for early intervention.

Plus, those practices may contribute to poorer quality care across all settings and patients. Addressing that crucial issue is one of the things all hospitals committed to ensuring health equity are trying to address.

The Benefits of Embracing Technology

On the flip side, when we fully integrate technology into our practice, the benefits are transformative.

• Optimized efficiency and workflow: Digital wound care programs streamline the documentation process. For example, capturing 3D images and integrating them directly into the EHR saves time that would otherwise be spent on manual data entry.
• Improved reimbursement: Accurate and detailed documentation is crucial for reimbursement. Insurers require precise information about the wound’s size, depth, and healing progress. Digital tools provide this data, reducing the risk of denied claims and ensuring prompt service compensation.
• Ensured continuity of care: With digital wound care programs, all relevant information is stored in the EHR and accessible to any provider involved in the patient’s care. This continuity ensures that everyone is on the same page, leading to more coordinated and effective treatment plans.
• Reduced penalties: Healthcare regulations are becoming increasingly stringent, and penalties for non-compliance can be severe. Digital tools help maintain accurate records, adhere to treatment protocols, and avoid penalties associated with documentation errors or lapses in care.

Making Work Life Easier

Many providers hesitate to embrace technologies because they don’t fully grasp its benefits. However, the range of useful information gathered through these digital tools and advanced specialty EHRs is invaluable.

From a clinical perspective, data on healing rates, days to heal, and discharge statuses can be meticulously tracked. This information is crucial for evaluating the effectiveness of treatment plans and making necessary adjustments. For example, by analyzing the healing rates of different debridement techniques, we can identify the most effective methods for specific wound types.

Operationally, managers can use this data to better coordinate outpatient services, ensuring that resources are focused where they’re most needed.

Digital wound care programs also help in closing records in a timely fashion and ensuring documentation is complete and in compliance with policies. This not only improves internal efficiency but also supports quality reporting.

Documentation is the backbone of quality reporting. It is essential to providers because the process helps showcase that accepted best practices were undertaken in the care of patients. From an operational perspective, documentation and the care plan are vital for reporting to CMS, health plans, and other payers. The ability to streamline this process means providers have more time with patients and less time on administrative work. It also ensures compliance with the requirements for accreditation by organizations such as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and increasingly important value-based care programs while providing the detailed reporting required.

On Becoming a Mentor

There are many approaches to mentoring, from formal programs developed by large hospitals to informal commitments from colleagues to helping one another. The most successful programs all share common goals – a desire to help improve outcomes, performance, quality of care, and the daily lives of busy wound care providers.  What are some specific steps to consider? Here are a few to consider.

• Share positive experiences: Share real-world examples of benefits and value.  If you have been able to save several hours a day by using a digital wound care app, tell your coworkers how and what you were able to do with the extra time.
• Know what’s happening: Regularly update yourself on the latest wound care technologies and digital tools to remain knowledgeable and confident.
• Encourage education: Participate in training sessions and workshops to master the use of wound care EHRs and AI-powered digital wound programs.
• Foster communication: Actively communicate and collaborate with colleagues to share knowledge, address concerns, and offer guidance in utilizing new technologies.

It’s a Collective Effort

The journey toward technological proficiency in wound care is a collective effort. It requires a commitment to continuous learning, a willingness to adapt, and a supportive environment where mentorship thrives.

When tech champions mentor their colleagues, it helps them understand the broader implications of embracing technology. It’s not just about simplifying daily tasks; it’s about contributing to the larger goal of improving patient outcomes and operational efficiency for all patients and all facilities.

If you are a wound care mentor—or want to become one—kudos! The industry needs people like you to help transform wound care and make a lasting impact on patients’ lives.