A pioneering new digital wound assessment app used by community nurses at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in over 3,500 assessments for 400 patients to spot wound deterioration more quickly has been shortlisted for a prestigious digital healthcare award.
The Minuteful for Wound app, provided by Precision HealthTech, uses smartphone imaging and AI to capture consistent, objective wound measurements in seconds, supporting better patient outcomes through earlier intervention.
The technology, which is currently being piloted in the Woodhouse, Darnall and Ecclesfield areas, is one of five digital technologies shortlisted in the Medilink North of England Business Awards’ Advances in Digital Healthcare category.
It works by creating accurate, trackable records of wounds over time – with scanned images of the wound taken from the smartphone’s camera uploaded and stored into the app’s secure digital portal. This enables clinicians to have full visibility to a series of images showing the wound’s healing and characteristics over time without the need for a visit to the patient’s home. As well as reducing variation in assessment, this enables earlier interventions when wounds are deteriorating, supporting better patient outcomes.
One patient who has already benefited from the technology is Jean Whiteley, 78.
Jean, from Woodhouse, used the app to keep track of how a long-lasting open sore in her lower limb was healing. The wound has now successfully healed.
She said: “It’s been great – the nurses can quickly scan the wound and see exactly how it’s healing. It feels reassuring knowing they can track progress properly each time and spot any changes early.”
Digital healthcare
Over four million people in the UK live with chronic wounds, which can take months or even years to heal.
During the pilot, the team will look to assess the technology’s role in reducing wound healing time and improving patient outcomes and staff experience.
Saul Hill, Professional Head of Podiatry at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Minuteful Project Lead, said:
“Wounds can have a devastating impact on patients’ quality of life and healing them quickly is a top priority. This is a fantastic example of the difference technology, delivered by NHS teams who are focused on what matters most, can make to patients and their care. If successful, the outcomes of the pilot could lead to the app being rolled out more widely across the Trust, so we are excited to be using our expertise to look at new ways to deliver care.”
The pilot of the technology has been made possible thanks to an innovation fund supported by Sheffield Hospitals Charity.
Shasta Ashraf, Director of Grants for Sheffield Hospitals Charity said:
“We’re proud to fund innovative projects like this that have the potential to transform patient care. By supporting NHS staff to test new ideas and technologies, we can help improve outcomes, enhance patient experience and make a real difference to people’s lives across Sheffield.”
The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony at Cutlers’ Hall in Sheffield on Thursday 30th April.