Objective: This retrospective study of 510 patients receiving negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in a home care setting examines the relationship between remote therapy monitoring (RTM) and patient adherence, as well as determines the impact of patient adherence on wound progression.
Materials and methods: Adherence to treatment was continuously monitored via RTM, and patients with therapy usage < 16 hours in 1 day received an adherence call. Repeated failures to reach a noncompliant patient led to an escalation call to the caregiver to discuss treatment. Wound volume and surface area were collected to determine the rate of wound size reduction.
Results: A total of 3261 calls were made with an average of 6.4 calls per patient. Among the 510 patients, 98% received a welcome call, 87% received at least 1 call due to low adherence, and 30% received an escalation call. The day following an adherence call, 73.5% of patients increased therapy use. As adherence to NPWT increased (< 60% to 90%-100% therapy use), there was an increase in the daily reduction rate in wound volume (1.42% to 2.23%) and surface area (0.86% to 1.45%).
Conclusions: The data suggest RTM can be used to influence patient behavior, and there may be a potential relationship between patient behavior and wound healing outcomes. Additional studies are needed to elucidate the relationship between RTM and wound outcomes.