Evaluation of a Mobile Wound Care Device for Assessment of Wounds: A Time Motion Study

Abstract

Background: Comprehensive wound assessments are critical in identifying potential complications that affect wound healing and determining appropriate interventions for the patient. A wound care device (WCD) comprising a mobile device integrated with multi-spectral sensors that can capture stereoscopic and thermal images was recently introduced. A trial was conducted to assess potential productivity gains of the device.Methods: A total of 30 inpatients who required wound care were recruited and assessed via a time motion study. For every patient recruited in this study, wound measurements and documentation steps were repeated twice for a total of 55 wounds, once using the WCD and the other using a conventional manual process, with the order of assessment determined using a random group assignment generator. A t-test was used for statistical analysis.Results: The use of the WCD had a mean process time 4.86 minutes shorter than the conventional manual process (P<0.001). This constituted an increase in productivity by 44% for wound measurement, photography, and documentation. With estimated time savings of 5 minutes per patient, this amounts to 6,631 hours per year or a total of 3.42 nursing full-time equivalent savings per year based on an estimated load of 218 patients per day requiring wound care at an acute care institution in Singapore.Conclusion: The adoption of a mobile WCD has potential to improve work productivity and result in full-time equivalent savings for wound care nurses. Most importantly, the WCD could provide clinically beneficial outcomes for the patient by enhancing the management and documentation of wound care.