Fed: Image system helps wound treatment in remote communities

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Fed: Image system helps wound treatment in remote communities

By Charisse Ede

MELBOURNE, April 4 AAP - A world-first medical imaging system is enabling patientsin remote Australian communities to receive expert advice on their wounds without havingto visit a hospital.

In one of Australia's first "telehealth" initiatives, the Alfred/Medseed Wound ImagingSystem (AMWIS) allows health professionals to take digital images of a patient's woundthen email it to a hospital.

There, experts can diagnose the wound and suggest treatment - all without the patienthaving to leave the comfort of their own home.

The system is being trialled by 30 health providers, including the Royal Flying DoctorService, in areas as far afield as Cape York.

One patient, Stephen Pemberton, said the new system meant he now only had to travelto Melbourne's Alfred hospital for treatment of a long-term leg wound every six to eightweeks, rather than every week.

He said a district nurse would instead take photographs of his leg at his home in suburbanHeathmont and send them to the hospital.

The nurse then administered the required treatment, and he would travel to the hospitalif necessary.

Victorian Health Minister John Thwaites said the system would particularly help thetreatment of chronic leg ulcers and pressure sores prevalent in patients with diabetesand in remote Aboriginal communities.

Launching the initiative, he said it demonstrated how technology could help give peoplebetter care, while keeping them out of hospital.

"This technology is able to give information to doctors that they couldn't get before,whether the patient lives in the country or the city, so this is really good for all patientswherever they live," he said.

One of the main developers of the software, Alfred hospital associate professor NickSantamaria, said the system was better than others that existed because it noted the irregularitiesin the shape and depth of wounds.

"AMWIS enables previously unavailable precision in wound measurement, particularlyin irregular wounds such as diabetic leg ulcers," he said.

"The equipment is simple and inexpensive, making it accessible to many different communities."

Alfred hospital general manager Bruce Levy said it was the first such system in the world.

The Alfred developed the system in partnership with medical software designers Medseed.

AAP ce/gfr/cjh/de r

KEYWORD: WOUNDS NIGHTLEAD