Chronic wound patients susceptible to Covid-19 but cannot access key prevention services

Patients suffering from chronic wounds are in a uniquely dangerous situation as the Covid-19 crisis continues.

According to the American College of Tissue and Wound Repair, widespread new policies aimed at diverting resources to coronavirus treatment have led to hospitals shutting down outpatient resources that help chronic wound patients manage their conditions. With no access to training or professional monitoring, patients are at risk of developing complications that require emergency medicine, furthering their risk of viral exposure.

Despite being extremely prone to developing dangerous complications, chronic wound treatment has not been designated a speciality status from certifying medical bodies. Chronic wounds require constant management from providers as patients with mismanaged wounds can suffer from infection, sepsis, or gangrene.

While telemedicine can help patients’ access medical attention during the pandemic, in-person care is still vital for the accurate assessment of a chronic wound. Doctors often rely on visual assessment to determine the level of care needed for a chronic wound, and aspects of the healing process could be easily missed over the phone or a poor-quality video call.

Chronic wound management relies on diverse treatment modalities. The global wound care device market is estimated to be worth $4.4bn in 2020.

The wound care market has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and should expect a moderate slowdown in growth through 2021 due to a decrease in surgical procedures. However, the chronic wound patient pool will continue to need treatment, which will contribute a consistent stream of revenue for chronic wound treatment devices.

For more insight and data, visit the GlobalData Report Store.