ECO-SYSTEM DESIGN TO IMPROVE WOUND-CARE PREPAREDNESS AND CONTINUITY
Evaluation preference: Both (oral and poster)
Category: C. EDUCATION AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS (Health care systems)
Aims: To design a standardized, low-resource wound-care eco-system that measurably improves service preparedness and care continuity across settings, targeting ≥75% preparedness and a ≥95% continuity solution for common transition failures.
Methods: A preparedness framework was defined using guideline-informed domains (workforce, workflow, tools, safety, documentation, education, and follow-up). Care-continuity gaps were mapped across typical transitions (home/community ↔ outpatient ↔ referral) using process mapping and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). Eco-system components (kit contents, training, decision support, documentation set, and referral/tele-follow-up bundle) were mapped to preparedness domains and to FMEA-identified failure modes. Coverage was quantified as: (1) proportion of preparedness domains operationalized with a usable tool/process, and (2) proportion of high-priority continuity failure modes directly mitigated by at least one eco-system component.
Results: The eco-system operationalized 75% of predefined preparedness domains, primarily via standardized workflows, competency-based microtraining, and a minimal equipment/documentation set. The continuity bundle directly addressed 95% of high-priority transition failure modes, with the strongest coverage in follow-up scheduling, escalation triggers, shared documentation, and patient/caregiver instructions. Remaining gaps clustered around workforce capacity constraints and external referral availability.
Conclusions: A structured eco-system can be engineered to reach 75% preparedness coverage and mitigate 95% of prioritized continuity failures by design. Achieving this requires reliable tools, standardized products, and clinical autonomy to apply them consistently across all phases of wound healing. Prospective implementation studies should test clinical outcomes, cost, scalability, and long-term sustainability.
Brand reference: Neudebri™
Annalyn Garcia
Diabetes Educator
Neuropathic wound care specialist
