Virtual Wound and Ostomy Care - The Road Less Traveled

Access to a certified wound and ostomy specialist is becoming increasingly difficult with a recent estimate of one specialist to every 900 wound patients. In the post-acute setting, poor access to specialists results in inaccurate wound assessment and a lack of evidence-based treatment protocols. These problems not only extend healing times, increase the cost of care, and raise litigation risk, but they also negatively impact a patient’s quality of life. As a practice innovation, virtual management of wound and ostomy patients can significantly increase access to certified specialists and reduce costs regardless of the setting. For example, many small organizations are unable to bear the cost of hiring a full-time specialist to oversee wound and ostomy care. Larger organizations often have one or more specialists on staff, but would benefit from additional resources to relieve staff or help manage a growing patient population. Likewise, virtual wound management benefits patients in rural areas who must travel long distances to receive specialized care. In this presentation, we’ll discuss some of the challenges to implementing a virtual practice.  Case studies depicting patient journeys will demonstrate the value of virtual access to certified wound and ostomy specialists and how this practice innovation can improve patient outcomes and quality of life while supporting organizational goals.

Target Audience: Nurses, physical therapists, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals interested in wound care.

At the completion of this presentation, the participant will be able to:

• Describe the impact lack of access to a certified wound and ostomy specialist has on both the patient and the provider organization.
• Understand the challenges of establishing a virtual practice.
• Discuss the potential benefits of virtual wound and ostomy management.

 
Course Originally Released on: 4/16/2024
Date of Most Recent Review: 4/16/2024
Course Termination/Update Date: 4/30/2027

Accreditation Information

In support of improving patient care, Relias LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.