Hungarian limb-saving application - a crucial solution

Abstract

Hungarian limb-saving application - a crucial solution!

Regular medical check-ups for those suffering from chronic illnesses provide safety and the possibility of preventing complications. However, for new patients, difficulties in entering the system had to be addressed. Complications of diabetic foot in diabetic patients can significantly worsen within weeks, so proper initial care can be crucial for limb preservation. Circulatory venous diseases accompanying diabetes further reduce the chances. (Unfortunately, we are at the forefront of European amputation statistics.) Dangerous consequences of both diseases may result in deterioration caused by developing wounds, so we developed the limb-saving application to reduce the formation of chronic wounds, which greatly supports the treatment of urgently distressed patients and prevention. However, it must be acknowledged that supporting patients alone is not sufficient, and not everyone on the healthcare provider side can be a specialist, so, in addition to patient-doctor communication, we also aim to assist the work of colleagues with the medical application interface. Thus, reaching patients becomes much more effective, and the application is already used by more than 14,000 patients.

During the early stages of development, one of the IT colleagues developing the application thought to have discovered a similarity in the images with the foot of their relative—who had previously refused to see a doctor as their wounds had healed earlier! With the prototype application, they conducted an assessment at the patient's home and, based on the results, they convinced the patient to see a doctor, which ultimately saved their leg due to timely and expert treatment.

As a second phase, we are developing a digital health platform, an online wound care center, to enhance the efficient operation of multidisciplinary care. Initially, it is aimed at diabetic patients and stakeholders in diabetes care, focusing on preventive strategies and effective complication management. In the first phase, we offer professional support on our patient platforms in this area. However, our long-term goal is to extend decision support for other conditions as well. The first step in reducing medical workload is establishing a preventive patient approach. We support care through our patient platform while actively participating in chiropody training and nursing education to impart the best knowledge to our partners and make it widely accessible. Meanwhile, we connect patients with healthcare service providers. We provide patients with maximum support in adhering to medical pathways and offer any kind of supplementary therapeutic tools that could help their health condition. We enable patients to take control of their own healing process.