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The saying goes, “time heals all wounds.” Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Chronic wounds might go on for weeks or months. In many cases, you may not recover without medical treatment.
A non-healing or chronic wound is a skin injury that does not follow the normal healing course. Most wounds close within 7–14 days. You may need wound care if you have a cut, ulcer, or open wound that doesn’t heal. Prolonged wounds, if left untreated, may lead to severe complications.
Non-healing, or chronic, wounds show unique signs, including:
The most common reasons why wounds don't heal include:
You may benefit from telemedicine wound care if you have a non-healing or chronic wound. Telemedicine uses online doctor consultations or virtual visits. Globally, 75 percent of people will have utilized telemedicine services in 2021.
“Tele” means “at or over a distance. “So, the term “telemedicine” (TM) refers to the practice of medicine using technology to diagnose and deliver treatment to patients over long distances.
TM is a new and rapidly developing field. Wound healing and wound management are excellent examples of how TM wound care improves care.
In telemedicine wound care, a medical professional, usually a doctor, will perform an interview and a visual examination through a video visit.
The physician may also converse with and respond to inquiries from the patient and their caregiver through secure real-time video. The nurse in the immediate vicinity will apply treatments as directed by the expert.
There are many reasons individuals may not be able to see a doctor for a non-healing wound. Reasons that some patients are choosing telemedicine wound care include:
With the help of the internet and smart devices like mobile phones and tablets, telemedicine (TM) has become feasible to manage chronic wounds better.
Virtual wound care involves online care of your wound. It may help you recover faster. Virtual wound care is becoming increasingly popular because it offers many advantages over in-person visits.
Virtual wound care is a convenient way to get the care you need without leaving home. There are many benefits to using telemedicine wound care, including convenience, better assessment, and time savings.
Here are some of the reasons to consider telemedicine for wounds.
All these advantages can help improve the quality of care for wound patients. Telemedicine can also help reduce costs, improve access to care, promote collaboration between clinicians, and improve patient education.
Chronic wounds can take a long time to heal, requiring regular monitoring and many follow-ups. That’s why telemedicine has become an excellent option for patients who need wound care for non-healing wounds. Telemedicine helps patients receive faster wound treatment recommendations from the telemedicine wound doctor; thus, there is quicker wound healing.
Talk with one of our expert doctors if you want to learn more about virtual services or wound care without walls. My Virtual Physician offers video consultations for non-healing wounds.
Contact us today to find out how you can book a wound consultation appointment.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. The information, graphics, and images on this site are not intended to substitute diagnosis or treatment by a medical professional. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for any questions you may have regarding a specific condition.
"Telehealth in Wound Care - Evidence and Best Practices". woundreference.com. Accessed July 25, 2022.
"Wound Center Without Walls". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed July 25, 2022.
Sarah Falcone, BSN, RN, WCN-C, CSWD-C, is a certified wound care nurse, nursing consultant, and health content writer in Fort Worth, TX. She works with clients in home health, wound care, and telemedicine. Sarah is a passionate advocate for moving advanced levels of care to the home, where her clients can safely receive the medical treatments they need with greater satisfaction and comfort. She focuses on patient experience, outcomes, and advancing clinical models using innovative technology to serve patients better. Sarah draws from 15 years of practicing patient care and nursing leadership to share her own nursing experiences and expertise online. Connect with her on LinkedIn!
It can be as minor as a paper cut or as serious as a puncture wound from a dog bite. Any wound that creates an opening in the skin can become infected. If you notice signs that your open wound is infected, here's what you can do next.
An open wound is an injury to the skin that leaves underlying tissues exposed.
The skin is an important barrier that protects our internal tissues and organs from potential injury from the world around us. Compromising the skin barrier invites bacteria and other microorganisms into the body.
An infected open wound is a skin injury in which disease-causing organisms have invaded healthy tissue surrounding the wound. Infection of the wound triggers the body's immune response, causing inflammation and tissue damage and slowing the healing process.
Infected open wounds may show signs and symptoms, including:
It is important to identify signs of an infected open wound to seek the proper treatment.
It's possible to treat most open wounds at home. The best care for an open wound is to keep the site clean and dry. Common over-the-counter treatments for open wounds with mild signs of infection include:
If you are unsure how to treat your wound at home, talk with a healthcare professional about your injury for evaluation and treatment.
Wound dressings are also an important part of at-home care. Dressings or bandages protect open areas from getting dirty and can also speed healing.
Today, many traditional wound dressings (such as cotton bandages) are being replaced by new innovative dressings that promote the optimal environment for wound healing. For basic wound care, don't be confused by the variety of wound products at the drugstore. Choose a bandage that fully covers the wound and change it every 1-2 days or when it is wet or dirty. With each bandage change, wash the area with warm water and mild soap to remove dead tissue or drainage.
The goal is to encourage your body's natural healing process.
Although you can treat most wounds at home, there will be times when you should seek medical attention for an infected open wound.
Contact a qualified medical professional if you notice these signs or symptoms.
Also, if the injury was caused by an animal bite or a rusty object, you should seek medical treatment as early as possible. Telemedicine providers offer a fast, affordable, and convenient way to see a doctor about your wound without leaving home.
Many private insurance companies and federal programs like Medicare and Medicaid cover telemedicine services.
In short, some open wounds can be cared for at home. You can buy wound washes, ointments, and sprays online to bandage the site and encourage the body's natural healing process. However, if you have a wound that looks infected and are worried, you should talk to a medical professional.
My Virtual Physician offers video consultations with expert doctors and wound care specialists on staff for new and chronic infected open wounds.
Contact us now to find out how you can book your free or low-cost appointment for wound treatment.
Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and do not constitute medical advice. The information, graphics, and images on this site are not intended to substitute diagnosis or treatment by a medical professional. Always seek the advice of a licensed physician for any questions you may have regarding a specific condition.
"Infected Wounds". woundsource.com. Accessed June 28, 2022.
"Management of Acute & Chronic Wounds". pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed June 28, 2022.
"Treatment Strategies for Infected Wounds". ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Accessed June 28, 2022.
"8 Signs and Symptoms of Wound Infection". woundsource.com. Accessed June 28, 2022.
Sarah Falcone, BSN, RN, WCN-C, CSWD-C, is a certified wound care nurse, nursing consultant, and health content writer in Fort Worth, TX. She works with clients in home health, wound care, and telemedicine. Sarah is a passionate advocate for moving advanced levels of care to the home, where her clients can safely receive the medical treatments they need with greater satisfaction and comfort. She focuses on patient experience, outcomes, and advancing clinical models using innovative technology to serve patients better. Sarah draws from 15 years of practicing patient care and nursing leadership to share her own nursing experiences and expertise online. Connect with her on LinkedIn!
Telemedicine provides a convenient way to get the care you need without traveling to the doctor or specialist you need. Virtual care, or Telehealth, has been around for a while, but recent changes in healthcare have caused telemedicine services to surge.
In the past, telemedicine visits were used primarily as urgent care encounters. If you had symptoms of a cold, you could chat with a Tel-a-doc and maybe get antibiotics.
Today, telemedicine services have expanded. And patients can see their telemedicine doctor for gynecologic, primary, and even wound care. In this post, we will look at how telemedicine has become a solution for patients with chronic or non-healing wounds by answering these questions.
Read on to learn more about telemedicine as a wound care solution.
Telemedicine is a healthcare delivery model that involves virtual consultations between patients and physicians, using online tools such as video conferencing, virtual examination rooms, and remote medical devices.
In many situations, telemedicine is ideal for individuals with wounds.
Those injured or struggling with chronic wounds may not feel like leaving home. Or they may be physically unable to leave home without assistance.
Often their caregivers work and cannot take time from work for frequent doctor appointments. Also, depending on where an individual lives, there may not be a wound specialist in the area. If there is a local certified wound care expert, they may have limited availability.
So, wound care appointments may be difficult to get.
Telemedicine providers with specialized training and certification in wound care can save patients and their families frequent trips to their doctor or wound clinic. Telemedicine for wound care is efficient. Doctors can conduct virtual visits, see the wounds, and make treatment recommendations through video.
Telemedicine also lets patients have virtual follow-up conversations with their doctors and send images when the wounds change.
Telemedicine decreases costs by reducing the need to travel long distances to the hospital or to consult with a physician. It improves the quality of life for patients with chronic wounds while maintaining high standards of wound care.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, federal and state programs (Medicare and Medicaid) and private insurers have expanded coverage for telemedicine services, including wound care.
That is good news for patients with wounds who need to see a specialist. In many cases, your health insurance will cover the cost of your virtual visit and wound care supplies that your provider orders.
Your insurance may cover a virtual doctor visit for treatment if you have:
You can check with your insurance company to find out what they will cover or talk with a telemedicine provider and have them verify your insurance coverage before making an appointment.
Wound care specialists provide a variety of services through telemedicine. According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Telehealth services are especially helpful for monitoring and improving ongoing health issues, like chronic wounds.
A telemedicine wound care specialist can evaluate and treat wounds virtually by:
These services help patients get the right treatment to heal the wound quickly and return to normal lives.
Telemedicine specialists also coordinate your care with your other doctors or home health.
There are many advantages of using telemedicine wound care services, including:
It’s easy to see why telemedicine wound care services are growing.
While there are numerous benefits of telemedicine for patients, primary among them is the ease of convenience and the ability to access quality care fast. Wound care services provided through telemedicine are a great example of a wound care solution that is helping many individuals get the care they need.
If you have a skin wound that needs medical attention, talk with the My Virtual Physician team to find out if their telemedicine wound care services are right for you.
Contact us now for your low-cost appointment that your insurance may cover!
