Prescribing Wound Dressings in Podiatry - What to Know

1. Prescribing Wound Dressings in Podiatry - What to Know Unlike earlier, the process of prescribing wound care is now made much easier with digital prescribing options, which also reduce paper work and save time. Hippocratic Solutions 363 Rt 46 West, Suite 220 Fairfield, NJ 07004

2. Podiatrists diagnose and treat a wide variety of foot problems and it is a fact that no single dressing is suitable for all types of wounds. Along with providing good clinical wound treatment, these specialists also prescribe wound care dressings and other products for patients. Advanced electronic wound care programs are now available to streamline the wound-care prescription process and thus improve revenue along with enhancing patient care and satisfaction. Understanding the purpose of a dressing, the dressing categories, wound care supplies and what makes up a dressing prescription helps podiatrists in prescribing dressings easily. Dressings are useful to protect and maintain the wound environment to facilitate healing. The main functions of dressings are to - •absorb drainage •maintain high humidity at the wound/dressing interface •remove excess exudate •prevent infection and wound contamination, and •support the wound area Dressing for wounds should be prescribed based on the amount of drainage, type and depth of wound, and wound location and size. Podiatry Today has published a list of dressing categories and descriptions in its article – www.hippocraticsolutions.com (866) 305-3911

3. Source - https://www.podiatrytoday.com/reviewing-essentials-prescribing-wound-dressings The choice of dressing is also influenced by factors such as the type of setting (hospital, skilled nursing facility, wound care center, or home), the payer, and the ability for a patient or caregiver to independently apply the dressing. Ideal wound prescription A good prescription has a primary, secondary and tertiary dressing, dressing adjuncts (i.e. tape and saline), and includes the frequency of dressing change. Primary dressing The primary dressing comes in contact with the wound bed. These dressings are typically non- adherents, collagens, or alginates. •Collagen dressing is a reasonable choice in healthy looking wounds with minimal drainage •Silver-impregnated dressing is ideal for wounds that are infected or have significant bio- burden •A non-adherent dressing helps to cover a biologic or a skin graft •Hydrocolloids are best on pressure injuries with intact dermis •Dry sterile dressing works for necrotic wounds in which debridement is contraindicated or delayed Collagen dressings may encourage new tissue development and wound debridement. A primary dressing might also cover a graft, like a skin graft or a biologic. Secondary dressing The primary dressing is covered and supported by secondary dressing, which mainly absorbs exudate. For wounds with moderate or heavy drainage, foam or simple gauze will be recommended. Some foams are also supplied with non-adherent contact layers. Abdominal (ABD) pads are useful as a secondary layer in situations of heavy drainage. Tertiary dressing The tertiary dressing usually affixes the primary and secondary dressings with a type of wrap or thin/thick roll gauze. It is usually a cohesive bandage, or a multilayer compression dressing. Several dressing adjuncts are available. Physicians can order tapes with the dressing and insurance usually covers them. www.hippocraticsolutions.com (866) 305-3911

4. Tips for prescribing dressings While prescribing dressings, the podiatrist should consider certain factors such as •Dressing choice - Make sure to choose dressings that can address underlying problems. Silver dressings should be prescribed only if infection is present with clinical signs/symptoms accounting for healing stage, exudate levels and wound type. •Dressing size and quantity - Prescribe the correct size dressing for the wound. Order must be placed for the minimum quantity of dressings sufficient to meet people's needs. Make sure not to prescribe for long term, which helps to avoid wastage and facilitate timely reviews. •Frequency and review of dressing - The frequency of dressing change should be appropriate for the wound and dressing type. Also, assess patients at regular intervals. Silver dressings can be stopped once the signs of infection have resolved and the patient's condition is improved. Reassess at each dressing change. Wound Dressing Prescription Made Easy with Electronic Order Submission Podiatry clinics and practices can now benefit from Concierge Wound Care Solutions that offers a completely streamlined, hassle-free electronic wound-care prescription process—with no subscription required. With such a wound care program, podiatrists can prescribe, bill, and dispense advanced wound care supplies using their DME license. Wound care kits are quickly and conveniently delivered directly to each patient’s front door. Both patients and podiatrists can benefit from such a program. While podiatrists can get rid of tedious paperwork and free up their time for quality patient care, patients can avoid their trips to the pharmacy or waiting in lines and get wound care supplies shipped home directly in a timely manner. Podiatry billing services are available to assist foot and ankle surgeons to meet the documentation of the wound diagnosis and treatment using relevant ICD-10 codes for reimbursement purposes. www.hippocraticsolutions.com (866) 305-3911