Bridging Distances: A Retrospective Study of Virtual Wound Care to Reduce Travel Burden in Rural Healthcare

IF 2.1 4区医学 Q2 NURSING

Australian Journal of Rural Health Pub Date : 2025-10-23 DOI:10.1111/ajr.70095

Catherine Leahy, Michelle Barakat-Johnson, Linda Deravin, Erik Biros, Rachel Kornhaber

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Introduction

This study assessed the Virtual Wound Consultancy Service (VWCS) in reducing travel burden and lowering travel costs for rural patients requiring wound care. With one-third of Australians in regional or remote areas facing limited healthcare access, this study examined how virtual care could overcome geographical barriers, focusing on travel time and cost.

Methods

A retrospective analysis compared service utilisation and travel savings between patients using the VWCS and those receiving traditional in-person care. Data from chronic wound patients across inpatient, outpatient and residential aged-care settings in a large rural health district (July 2018 to March 2024) were reviewed. Key outcomes included travel time, travel costs and travel distance.

Results

The VWCS significantly reduced travel burdens. Patients living more than 201 km from specialist centres saved an average of 444 min per round trip. Financially, patients saved up to AU$507.49 per trip, with the highest savings for those farthest away. The VWCS also provided timely access to wound care, with an average wait time of 3.7 days from referral to consultation. Most services involved audio/visual assessments (40%), case management (27.5%) and email consultations (18%). Over the study period, the VWCS serviced 384 patients, averaging 2.6 consultations per patient.

Conclusion

The VWCS significantly improves access to wound care for rural populations by reducing the time burden. These results support expanding virtual care models in rural areas. Future research should assess long-term clinical outcomes and refine virtual care delivery for greater quality and cost-effectiveness.

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弥合距离：虚拟伤口护理减轻农村医疗旅行负担的回顾性研究。

简介：本研究评估了虚拟伤口咨询服务（VWCS）在减轻农村伤口护理患者的旅行负担和降低旅行成本方面的作用。由于三分之一居住在偏远地区或偏远地区的澳大利亚人面临有限的医疗保健机会，本研究考察了虚拟医疗如何克服地理障碍，重点关注旅行时间和成本。方法：回顾性分析比较使用VWCS和接受传统面对面护理的患者之间的服务利用率和旅行节省。回顾了2018年7月至2024年3月来自大型农村卫生区住院、门诊和住院老年护理机构的慢性伤口患者的数据。主要结果包括旅行时间、旅行成本和旅行距离。结果：VWCS显著减轻了差旅负担。住在距离专科中心201公里以上的病人每次往返平均节省444分钟。在经济上，患者每次旅行节省高达507.49澳元，距离最远的患者节省最多。VWCS还提供了及时的伤口护理，从转诊到咨询的平均等待时间为3.7天。大多数服务包括视听评估（40%）、病例管理（27.5%）和电子邮件咨询（18%）。在研究期间，VWCS为384名患者提供服务，平均每位患者2.6次咨询。结论：VWCS通过减少时间负担，显著改善了农村人群的伤口护理可及性。这些结果支持在农村地区扩大虚拟护理模式。未来的研究应评估长期临床结果，并改进虚拟医疗服务，以提高质量和成本效益。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Australian Journal of Rural Health 医学-公共卫生、环境卫生与职业卫生

CiteScore

2.30

自引率

16.70%

发文量

122

审稿时长

12 months

期刊介绍： The Australian Journal of Rural Health publishes articles in the field of rural health. It facilitates the formation of interdisciplinary networks, so that rural health professionals can form a cohesive group and work together for the advancement of rural practice, in all health disciplines. The Journal aims to establish a national and international reputation for the quality of its scholarly discourse and its value to rural health professionals. All articles, unless otherwise identified, are peer reviewed by at least two researchers expert in the field of the submitted paper.