Rapid research and implementation priority setting for wound care uncertainties

Area of Science:

• Wound Care Research
• Healthcare Management
• Clinical Practice Improvement

Background:

• Complex wounds disproportionately affect the elderly and those with multiple health conditions.
• Existing wound care practices lack robust evidence, leading to uncertainty among professionals.
• There is a need for formal priority setting to address gaps in wound care treatment and services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To collaboratively identify and prioritize uncertainties in complex wound care practice and service delivery.
• To engage front-line clinicians in shaping future research and implementation initiatives.
• To translate daily clinical questions into actionable research priorities.

Main Methods:

• Recruited wound care specialists, nurses, podiatrists, and managers.
• Collected uncertainties via online surveys and a priority-setting workshop.
• Utilized nominal group technique for discussion, voting, and final scoring of priorities.

Main Results:

• Generated 159 uncertainties, with 25 prioritized for research and implementation.
• Key themes included service delivery, patient-centered care, and treatment options.
• Professional groups showed distinct preferences for prioritizing different themes.

Conclusions:

• This collaborative approach successfully engaged clinicians in prioritizing wound care topics.
• Feasible to conduct rigorous topic prioritization within a short timeframe.
• Results can inform meaningful research and implementation to enhance wound care services and patient outcomes.