The Comeback is Always Greater Than the Setback

It is that time again—the time to consider the setbacks we have faced in the past 2 years and how we plan to respond in our comeback. For many, it appears that they are finding a more normal day-to-day status. For others, we are in the process of finding as much normalcy as possible. Indeed, things have changed, and some will never return to the “old normal.” Working from home will continue to be possible for some people. Virtual conferences and meetings have undoubtedly established their value for education, communication, and business. Some in certain fields of medicine may be able to evaluate and treat patients via telemedicine. However, despite attempts, I have my doubts that most wound care will be successful via telemedicine. After having tried to evaluate many wounds via Zoom calls, Facetime calls, and photos, I can truthfully say that I feel most comfortable making treatment decisions from being in the same room with the patient and assessing their wound face-to-face. At least at the moment, I believe my eyes catch more in-person than an electronic means of communication; besides, none of my electronics can convey smell or feel. It is very hard to debride a wound or drain an abscess from a screen. Some think that self-care is the wave of the future and can be managed by the patient and family without wound center personnel. However, ongoing research indicates that self-care is not as effective as care provided by experts. For example, have you ever tried to put an adequate compression bandage on yourself? Most of my patients cannot reach their feet to even begin wrapping the bandages, and some patients cannot see their feet. How will those patients manage venous ulcers and diabetic foot ulcers under these circumstances?

Another issue we have faced is the lack of personal contact with patients. I have found that it is not the same when I am not in the same room as the patient. It is very difficult to convey to a patient that we truly care about them and their problem when the only thing they see is our image on a screen. Samuel Taylor Coleridge said, “He is the best physician who is the best inspirer of hope.” I do not believe a comparable level of trust and concern can be seen with an electronic connection.

The comeback of our in-person educational programs has been great. Since in-person meetings resumed, I have participated in 3 different programs. Fortunately for those who are not comfortable or able to attend in-person meetings yet, many programs also stream the educational content for virtual attendees. These hybrid-setting meetings allow attendees to access valuable education; personally, I feel these types of programs should be continued.

As you may know, more educational programs and wound care journals are bolstering their digital content and/or transitioning to online presentations. As such, Wounds will be adding more video programs and content for readers this year. A new quarterly section of the Journal in print and online is entitled Surgical Corner. Topics regarding wound care that may require an operative approach either in the hospital or wound center will be presented and discussed, with a video presentation to follow online. Hopefully, this will show certain difficult cases and what can be done for them and when these problems should be referred to people who can do these procedures. The first installment is written by John Lantis II, MD, Clinical Editor of Wounds, and Keval Ray, MD, in this month’s issue.

As we try to establish our new normal, there is a lot to be considered, including how we consume educational content and interact with our patients. I feel we must strive to follow the admonition of my colleague, Angela Pickens, RN, when she said, “The comeback is always greater than the setback.” It is our duty to make that so for ourselves and for our patients.

Terry Treadwell, MD, FACS 
Editor-in-Chief, Wounds / woundseditor@hmpglobal.com