People receiving treatment for long-lasting or hard-to-heal wounds are benefiting from new technology in a first for Victoria.
Dhelkaya Health and Kerang District Health are taking part in a project that uses a mobile app to help nurses and clinicians monitor wounds more accurately. The new digital software provides a more accurate and consistent assessment of wounds, helping clinicians make better decisions.
The project, led by the Loddon Mallee Shared Services Virtual Care Office and La Trobe University is trialling a mobile app that uses photos and video to measure wounds, monitor healing and support better treatment decisions.
Dhelkaya Health Wound Clinic Nurse Tania Dunn is using the app as part of the trial, which will soon extend to include podiatry clients. Ms Dunn said: “The Tissue Analytics digital platform provides accurate, objective wound assessment, enabling clinicians to make informed treatment decisions that support improved wound healing outcomes.”
The software records wound care in one place, reducing paperwork and making it easier for healthcare teams to share information and work together.
Acting Manager Virtual Care Office, Susan Kennett said where you live shouldn’t determine the healthcare you can access. “There’s so much we can do through virtual care to support patients where they are. It’s about making healthcare more accessible, more connected and more equitable for regional communities.”
For patients, this means more consistent care and earlier identification of any concerns that may affect healing, like Michele from Maldon who travels to Castlemaine for her wound care.
“I think it’s fantastic that our healthcare workers have access to this kind of technology and Tania is great at sharing the information from the app with me so I can better understand my own healing.”
The trial reflects Dhelkaya Health’s transformative value of being curious, progressive and creative in exploring new ways to improve healthcare. By embracing digital technology and testing new approaches to wound management, Dhelkaya Health is exploring how innovation can support better experiences and outcomes for patients.
By reducing time spent on paperwork and administration, clinicians can spend more time focusing on what matters most, caring for patients and supporting their recovery.
Image supplied: Maldon resident Michele having wound assessed by Wound Clinician Tania Dunn using the new technology.
