Exploring Self-Perceived Competence and Challenges in Wound Management Among Primary Healthcare Physicians-A Survey...

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Wound Management
• General Practice

Background:

• Chronic wound care presents significant challenges within primary healthcare settings.
• General practitioners (GPs) play a crucial role in managing patients with chronic wounds.
• Understanding GPs' perceived competencies and challenges is vital for improving wound care delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the specific competencies and challenges encountered by general practitioners in managing chronic wounds.
• To assess GPs' self-perceived skills in wound diagnostics and treatment.
• To explore factors influencing the quality of chronic wound care in primary care.

Main Methods:

• An online survey was distributed to primary care general practitioners in Helsinki.
• The survey utilized REDCap for data collection and focused on wound care competencies and challenges.
• Descriptive statistics were employed to analyze the collected data from 32 participants.

Main Results:

• GPs reported confidence in wound aetiology diagnostics but perceived their treatment skills as weak.
• Significant challenges included determining urgency, specialty referral, compression therapy, offloading, and nutritional support.
• Insufficient resources, time constraints, and pressure were identified as major barriers to effective chronic wound care.

Conclusions:

• Improving chronic wound care in primary care settings is essential for better patient outcomes.
• Specialized primary care centers focused on wound management could enhance treatment efficacy.
• Addressing resource limitations and time pressures is critical for supporting GPs in chronic wound care.