Summary: In a trial in patients with diabetic foot ulcers, telemedicine-based home care achieved wound healing comparable to in-person outpatient care, with no significant difference in healing time or wound score, while significantly improving patient self-management.
PICO Summary
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Population | 74 randomised (64 in per-protocol analysis, 32 per group) patients with diabetic foot ulcers receiving home healthcare; randomised controlled study, China. |
| Intervention | Telemedicine-based home healthcare with remote wound assessment and self-care education. |
| Comparison | Conventional outpatient face-to-face care. |
| Outcome | There was no significant difference in wound healing time between groups, and after 8 weeks no difference in wound score. The telemedicine group showed significantly improved self-management of their ulcers compared with the control group. |
Expert Commentary
This is a useful comparative-effectiveness study whose result is best read as non-inferiority plus an engagement bonus, rather than as proof that telemedicine heals wounds faster. Healing time and wound score did not differ from in-person care, which is itself a meaningful and reassuring finding, since it suggests that properly conducted remote visual assessment can guide effective treatment for a condition many assume requires hands-on review, and that matters for patients facing mobility, transport, or geographic barriers. The genuine differentiator was self-management, which improved with telemedicine, plausibly because care delivered in the patient’s own environment lends itself to practical, contextual education about foot inspection, footwear, and offloading. I would foreground the limitations the post acknowledges: a small single-centre study, a home-care population that may not represent all ulcer patients, and no data on recurrence or amputation. Safe remote care also depends on clear escalation criteria for spreading infection or exposed deep structures. Can I use this with my patients? Yes, as a hybrid model. For suitable patients I would combine periodic in-person assessment with telemedicine check-ins to maintain healing while strengthening self-management, with explicit rules for when physical examination is required.
References
Hai-Ping Y, Hui-Ren Z, Ying-Jie G, Xiao-Jing L, Hung YY, Jia-Li Y, Yi-Li G. Application of telemedicine in home healthcare for patients with diabetic foot ulcers: a randomised controlled study. J Wound Care. 2025;34(12):1013–1022. doi:10.12968/jowc.2023.0158