Wound Documentation Technologies
FEBRUARY IS WOUND DOCUMENTATION TECHNOLOGIES MONTH For this month's WoundSource Practice Accelerator series, we are providing education on a variety of topics related to documentation technologies in wound care. Scroll below to read this month's white paper and articles, to print out our quick fact sheet, and to sign up for this month's webinar.
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Upcoming Webinar
Wound Care Documentation Standards
Lisa Gould, MD, PhD, FACSDocumenting a wound assessment is a critical part of wound care. The clinician's documentation is the primary form of communication with different providers on the team and is the only way to know whether a wound is improving or deteriorating. Wound care documentation is usually accomplished through a combination of photographs, charts with measurements, and written description. Accurate documentation justifies treatment and helps patients receive the care they need. The current standard for wound documentation is rudimentary. Simple length times width measurements are inaccurate and do not adequately portray changes in the wound over time with respect to wound bed characteristics, changes in shape, undermining, or tunneling. Digital technology has revolutionized wound documentation. Whether through simple digital photos that flow directly into the patient’s chart or platforms that automatically measure the wound area and depth and calculate the wound bed characteristics, documentation using digital technology improves communication. Participants in this webinar will be able to:
- Succinctly describe a wound, meeting ICD-10 criteria
- Understand the basic principles of wound photography
- Describe why length times width is inaccurate for measuring wound area
- Discuss why wound area is inadequate for describing deep wounds
- Describe the cost benefits of digital technology
White Paper
Wound Documentation: Saving Time with Technology
Wound documentation methods such as digital measuring tools, mobile tools, and customized electronic medical records can save time and enhance the quality of care. Integration of these new technologies into wound care can help clinicians spend more time with their patients and less time charting. This white paper provides an overview of wound documentation, with a focus on specific technological advances. It also describes ways in which a consistent wound assessment and documentation process can...Fact Sheet
Quick Facts - Wound Documentation Technologies
Documentation, an essential nursing competency, plays a crucial role in initial and ongoing wound assessment. Electronic medical record (EMR) systems provide multifaceted management tools for the operation of health care facilities. EMR systems and other digital platforms are increasingly used in wound documentation because they provide accurate and accessible data on wound status and healing progress. Wound care professionals will appreciate this fact sheet, which contains vital information on ...Featured Articles
Using Wound Photos to Enhance Your Documentation
Wound photo documentation captures a visual reference and helps provide a timeline for healing status for the patient’s medical record. Pictures in wound care can be used to ensure accuracy of measurements, to encourage objective assessments, to reduce the risk of misinterpreting the cause of the wo...
Read MoreOptimizing Your Wound Care Workflow to Improve Outcomes
Multiple electronic medical record (EMR) systems are being utilized across the health care spectrum. However, these systems do not always contain documentation elements that capture specialty care such as wound care. Workflow and synchronization within the EMR are necessary to manage and support goo...
Read MoreUnderstanding Wound Documentation Goals for Your Care Setting
Up to 20% of all US medicolegal claims and more than 10% of settlements are wound related. Documentation is essential for all health care settings; however, there are differences in each setting. Knowing your clinical setting’s requirements from a documentation standpoint is critical in meeting docu...
Read MoreHow Streamlining Wound Documentation Improves Continuity of Care
Continuity of care has always been the heart of practicing medicine and is especially important for wound care. Continuity of care in wound management equals better outcomes, cost-effectiveness, and satisfaction rates from patients. In providing continuity of care, wound care providers face challeng...
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Important Terms to Know
