Téot L, Geri C, Lano J, Cabrol M, Linet C, Mercier G, et al.
The international journal of lower extremity wounds. Date of publication 2020 Jun 1;volume 19(2):197-204.
1. Int J Low Extrem Wounds. 2020 Jun;19(2):197-204. doi: 10.1177/1534734619894485.
Epub 2019 Dec 18.
Complex Wound Healing Outcomes for Outpatients Receiving Care via Telemedicine,
Home Health, or Wound Clinic: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Téot L(1), Geri C(2), Lano J(2), Cabrol M(2), Linet C(2), Mercier G(1).
Author information:
(1)Montpellier University Hospital, Montpellier, France.
(2)Hospital Home Wound Care Network, Montpellier, France.
Use of telemedicine has expanded rapidly in recent years, yet there are few
comparative studies to determine its effectiveness in wound care. To provide
experimental data in the field of telemedicine with regard to wound care, a pilot
project named "Domoplaies" was publicly funded in France in 2011. A randomized,
controlled trial was performed to measure the outcomes of patients with complex
wounds who received home wound care from a local clinician guided by an off-site
wound care expert via telemedicine, versus patients who received in-home or wound
clinic visits with wound care professionals. The publicly funded network of
nurses and physicians highly experienced in wound healing was used to provide
wound care recommendations via telemedicine for the study. The healing rate at 6
months was slightly better for patients who received wound care via telemedicine
(61/89; 68.5%) versus wound care professional at home (38/59; 64.4%) versus wound
care clinic (22/35; 62.9%), but the difference was not significant (P = .860833).
The average time to healing for the 121/183 wounds that healed within 6 months
was 66.8 ± 32.8 days for the telemedicine group, 69.3 ± 26.7 for the wound care
professional at home group, and 55.8 ± 25.0 days for the wound care clinic group.
Transportation costs for the telemedicine and home health care groups were
significantly lower than the wound clinic group, and death rate was similar
between all the 3 groups (P < .01). Telemedicine performed by wound healing
clinicians working in a network setting offered a safe option to remotely manage
comorbid, complex wound care patients with reduced mobility.
DOI: 10.1177/1534734619894485
PMID: 31852312
