Driving innovation in wound care

Wound care is an incredibly exciting, ever-evolving area of health care. As the national peak body, Wounds Australia represents wound care professionals in the country; the clinicians, researchers and corporate partners who drive innovation in best practice.

Much of this work has been formally acknowledged by the Australian Government in the form of grant funding. One of our industry partners, Visionflex, for example, was recently awarded a prestigious Game Changer Grant of almost $1.5m by the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health Network to develop a pioneering telehealth tool that will enable remote wound assessment.

The tool — the high-quality GEIS camera combined with a real-time video call facility — promises to enhance wound care delivery in Australia’s health sector, in particular in the rural and remote communities we know are disadvantaged by ‘the tyranny of distance’. Visionflex is working closely with Wounds Australia and with wound clinician Hayley Ryan, in her capacity as the principal of independent wound care company WoundRescue. We believe this important initiative offers a potentially transformative shift in wound management around the country.

Long-time Wounds Australia member Associate Professor Dr Michelle Barakat-Johnson of Sydney University is leading a team of researchers in developing the Digital Model of Wound Care. Supported by a $1.5m Partnership Grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC), the team is working closely with metropolitan, regional and remote partners to test, evaluate and disseminate an evidence-based and cost-effective digital care delivery system. It’s thrilling work that we’re proud to support.

These projects are just the tip of the iceberg, announcements made in the last three months alone. Many other exciting initiatives are in the works to improve wound assessment and management.

As our Wound Awareness Week Ambassador, burns surgeon and ‘Australian living treasure’ Professor Fiona Wood AO, said in a recent webinar for our members, communication and knowledge-sharing are crucial to improving best practice.

Wound care researchers, clinicians and industry partners converge biennially at the Wounds Australia Conference, which will be held in 2024 on the Gold Coast, 14–16 October. It’s a chance to share insights, challenge current thinking, explore the research and engage with other frontline professionals working in hospitals and throughout the Australian healthcare system. Innovation features heavily in our program and touches every area of wound care: education, diagnosis and management, patient shared care, and more.

Image caption: iStock.com/cienpies