Clinical and medico-economic benefits of remote monitoring of chronic wounds

Abstract

Through a prospective comparative intention-to-treat study, we studied the impact of remote monitoring of chronic wounds on safety and on the consumption of healthcare system resources. From January to June 2023, 103 consecutive patients were managed according to conventional follow-up (group CF, 61 patients) or to follow-up in which remote wound monitoring (group RM, 42 patients) could be used. Data were collected prospectively. Statistical analysis was performed on an intention-to-treat basis, analysing data on treatment safety (mortality, major amputation, wound healing, use of emergency services), clinical results (closure and time to closure of the wound) organisational effectiveness (consultation, hospitalisation, use of unscheduled care), and estimated cost. The use of telemonitoring did not alter the safety criteria for the management of chronic wounds. It allowed a 35 days reduction of the time to wound-closure (p = 0.05). It led to a 55% reduction in hospital consultations (p ≤ 0.01). These factors have resulted in an estimated reduction in the cost of care of 1666 euros. The constated reduction in unscheduled care (visit of emergency services, emergency hospitalisation) was not significant. Remote monitoring of chronic wounds is safe, and clinically efficient (reduced healing time), compared to conventional monitoring. It decreases the need for in-hospital consultations and the overall cost of the treatment and thus may ease the access to specialised care in wound healing.