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Diabetes
and Wound Care management
This article was published in The West End
Times September 11, 2011.
Have
you ever cut yourself or had some
other type of accident that resulted in a wound? Have you ever been
bitten by a
dog or cat or a moody parrot? Have you ever been hospitalized and
developed a
pressure sore on your heel or bottom from lack of movement? Do you have
a
disease like diabetes? Wounds and foot ulcers are one of the most
devastating
complications of diabetes. Wounds are
everywhere. We’ve all had at least one at some time in our life.
We all will
probably have others as we bump into life’s encounters. As with
every health
concern, the sooner we attend to a wound the better the chances for
healing
without infection. Most small cuts and wounds can be dealt with on your
own but
occasionally you may have doubts and want an opinion from a health care
professional. Where would you go? An emergency room is not really
appropriate
especially if it means eight hour waits. Most clinics also have long
waiting
times. We do not have a system that can provide the advice and
follow-up these
wounds might need. Why not???
I
want to talk about the more serious
wounds but the approach can be the same for all needs for consultation
about
wound management. In a study done by Dr. Gail Woodbury et al. from the
Lawson
Health Research Institute in London, Ontario, they gathered data from health
facilities across Canada.
They surveyed over 14,000 patients from 45 care institutions. The
prevalence of
pressure ulcers in individuals was found to be 24-26% in acute care
hospitals,
28% in non acute facilities and 13-17% in community care. In a study
published
in Wound Care Canada
(Allen & Houghton, 2004) the alarming cost of three months care in
the
community was $27,500.00.
Ulcers
and wounds result from poor
circulation associated with peripheral vascular disease, injury and
infections.
Diabetes affects circulation and immunity. Over time, if not
controlled, the
sensory nerves in the hands and feet may be damaged. People with
diabetes may
not feel a foot injury, blister or cut. Small sores, ulcers or wounds
may
become infected leading to serious complications that may result in
amputation.
These complications may be prevented by early detection and effective
wound
care. 2.3 million Canadians live with Diabetes. 15% or 345,000
diabetics will
develop a foot ulcer in their lifetime. Canadians with diabetes are 23
times
more likely to be hospitalized for a limb amputation than someone
without
diabetes. 85% of all amputations are the result of a non-healing foot
ulcer. An
estimated 1,500 diabetics from Ontario
had a limb amputated in 2008. I
don’t
want to seem to be an alarmist but the facts are there. Wounds are
serious!!
Not only are there horrible consequences for the individuals and their
quality
of life, but diabetic foot ulcers cost our healthcare system more than
$150
million annually. Why can’t we put that money toward support,
early
interventions and follow-up?
Of
course I believe we must look at our
healthcare system and look to using technology as part of the solution.
Connecting people to health care providers can provide the assessment
needs and
treatment plan before the problem becomes a crisis. What if we had a
system
where a picture of our wounds could be sent to wound specialists for
review and
remote consultation? Pictures can be
sent over a period of time to monitor progress. The technology is out
there.
The wound experts are out there. The cost would be minimal. Will our
government
ever see the advantages of early, efficient interventions? The
significant
savings from reducing wound management costs could be reallocated to
improve
the HEALTH of Canadians.
Thoughts,
comments, suggestions are always
welcome.
Contact me at donna@ashcanada.com
Health Access, Home and Nursing care
514-695-3131
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