Pressure Ulcer Assessment Via Telemedicine

April 6, 2015 updated by: US Department of Veterans Affairs
A Web-based telemedicine system for monitoring the status of patients with pressure ulcers has been developed. It consists of three major data collection components: (1) digital photograph of ulcer; (2) quantitative measurements of wound status (i.e., ulcer area and volume, skin elasticity); and (3) other wound and patient data collected by a nurse. Data are collected via laptop computer and transmitted to a central database, where a computer program transforms the data into the necessary reporting format. The output is posted onto a World Wide Web page for access by the consulting physician. The system incorporates all data requirements for assessment recommended by AHCPR's Clinical Practice Guideline, Treatment of Pressure Ulcers.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Background:

A Web-based telemedicine system for monitoring the status of patients with pressure ulcers has been developed. It consists of three major data collection components: (1) digital photograph of ulcer; (2) quantitative measurements of wound status (i.e., ulcer area and volume, skin elasticity); and (3) other wound and patient data collected by a nurse. Data are collected via laptop computer and transmitted to a central database, where a computer program transforms the data into the necessary reporting format. The output is posted onto a World Wide Web page for access by the consulting physician. The system incorporates all data requirements for assessment recommended by AHCPR's Clinical Practice Guideline, Treatment of Pressure Ulcers.

Objectives:

The primary objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the clinical accuracy of a telemedicine system for assessing the status of pressure ulcers, both chronic and those which have been surgically repaired. The principal hypotheses were: (1) use of the telemedicine system results in the same diagnoses as does in-person patient assessment; and (2) patients are satisfied with the telemedicine system.

Methods:

Two VA medical centers and two specialties participated in the study: Ann Arbor (plastic surgery) and Augusta (plastic surgery, physical medicine and rehabilitation). They contributed inpatients and outpatients with a pressure ulcer of stage II, III, or IV over a one-year enrollment period. All study patients were assessed both in-person (the "gold standard") and with the telemedicine system. The in-person and telemedicine physicians provided yes/no responses to four diagnostic questions concerning wound healing and infection, based on AHCPR guidelines, and they were blinded to each other�s assessments. Patient satisfaction data were collected using a specially designed, self-administered questionnaire to measure perceptions regarding the burden of the telemedicine system, confidence in the evaluation, and absence of direct contact with a physician.

Status:

Completed

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

128

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Georgia
      • Decatur, Georgia, United States, 30033
        • Atlanta VA Medical and Rehab Center, Decatur, GA
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48105
        • VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

VA inpatients, outpatients, or nursing home residents at the participating sites who have any of the following wounds: (1) chronic pressure ulcers at stage II, III or IV; (2) post-operative wound patients having undergone a skin flap procedure for a grade III or IV pressure ulcer; (3) diabetic wounds; (4) arterial ulcers; or (5) chronic venous status ulcers. Exclusion criteria: Mentally incompetent patients.

Exclusion Criteria:

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Non-Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Other: Arm 1
Procedure: Web-based telemedicine system for assessment of status of pressure ulcers

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

US Department of Veterans Affairs

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Julie C Lowery, PhD MHSA, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, Ann Arbor, MI

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2000

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

March 14, 2001

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

March 15, 2001

First Posted (Estimate)

March 16, 2001

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimate)

April 7, 2015

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 6, 2015

Last Verified

April 1, 2015

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • ACC 97-013

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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