Poznań/ Innovative application for monitoring post-operative wounds

iWound was developed based on the experience of doctors and under their supervision. The authors emphasize that using the app is intuitive and simple. From September, patients from the General and Endocrinological Surgery and Gastroenterological Oncology Department of the H. Święcicki Clinical Hospital in Poznań will be the first in the world to benefit from the application.

Head of the department Prof. Tomasz Banasiewicz, who supervised the development of the app, explains that it will enable remote monitoring of healing of post-operative wounds, prevention of complications and creating greater comfort for patients who will no longer have to come to the hospital and wait in line for follow-up visits. All they need to do is contact a consultant, and after sending a photo of the wound they will receive further treatment recommendations.

"The idea of creating an application is the result of many factors. On the one hand, there is a need of patients to get support and supervision in the process of wound healing. On the other hand, we are dealing with a personnel crisis in health care and, unfortunately, we have to prepare for an even worse situation, so we need tools to relieve qualified medical personnel, because a huge part of the staff`s work are procedures and bureaucracy" - says Banasiewicz.

"When we manage to create an integral system linked to currently operating hospital or clinic systems, National Health Fund and social insurance, applications will allow us to monitor treatment results, coordinate them, treat patients not only better and more efficiently, but also cheaper" - he adds.

To use the system, user has to download the application on a mobile device. An access code is required, which the patient will receive from their doctor during discharge from the hospital. The next step is registration, stetting user login and password. Before the first consultation, the patient must answer a few questions about the state of health and the wound in question.

"To complete the medical interview, the patient can additionally take a picture of the wound and attach it, and write a message to the consultant. The consultant will contact the patient shortly and recommend appropriate measures - wound hygiene, use of disinfectant or wound-healing medical products, or consulting a doctor, for example when it is necessary to use an antibiotic to fight an infection. An additional useful tool is a system of reminders and alerts about the need to use a specific drug or change dressing" - emphasize the authors of the application.

Professor Banasiewicz remarked that the pilot implementation of the application is accompanied by a series of "iWound Academy" meetings, during which participants learn about modern wound treatment and new tools helpful in this process.

"I think that once we manage to develop systemic solutions, the application will become a tool for the medical staff treating wounds, both doctors and nurses, and knowledge about it will be spreading" - he adds.

Authors of the application hope that their solution will soon be implemented in other medical facilities. (PAP)

Author: Anna Jowsa

ajw/ joz/ kap/

tr. RL