Digital Twin in Healthcare: A Study for Chronic Wound Management

Although the concept of digital twin technology has been in existence for nearly half a century, its application in healthcare is a relatively recent development. In healthcare, the utilization of digital twin and data-driven models has proven to enhance clinical decision support, particularly in the treatment and assessment of chronic wounds, leading to improved clinical outcomes. This article proposes the implementation of a digital twin in the domain of healthcare, specifically in the management of chronic wounds, by leveraging artificial intelligence techniques. The digital twin is composed of data collection, data processing, and AI models dedicated to wound healing. A novel AI pipeline is utilized to track the healing of chronic wounds. The digital twin, serving as a virtual representation of the actual wound, simulates and replicates the healing process. Furthermore, the proposed wound-healing prediction model effectively guides the treatment of chronic wounds. Additionally, by comparing the actual wound with its digital twin, the system enables early identification of non-healing wounds, facilitating timely adjustments and modifications to the treatment plan. By incorporating a digital twin in healthcare, the proposed system enables personalized and tailored treatments, potentially playing a crucial role in proactive problem identification.