Multidisciplinary approaches to the pressure ulcer problem

Multiple factors affect the specific condition and overall clinical profile of individuals at risk for chronic wounds. The complexity of the pressure ulcer problem lends itself to the application of the National Institute of Health Roadmap Initiative that encourages interdisciplinary research and new organizational models. An overview of research studies relevant to telemedicine and neuromuscular electrical stimulation in the care and prevention of pressure ulcers as well as preliminary results of an innovative multidisciplinary skin care team approach to the primary and tertiary prevention of pressure ulcers are encouraging. The team's pilot study results indicate that patients are satisfied with telehealth provision of care; however, literature and experience also suggest that discrepancies in the inter-rater assessment of wounds using digital photography remain, particularly with regard to wound dimension variables assessed (P<0.01). In another endeavor, the skin care team developed a Longitudinal Analysis with Self-Registration statistical algorithm to assess the effects of electrical stimulation; in a preliminary study, this tool documented improvement in gluteus maximus health and resultant ability to withstand pressure. As the number of groups pursuing multidisciplinary research and care increases, so, too, will the evidence base required to address these common, and complex, chronic wounds.