To assist this consultation, the wound image and the assessment could be sent electronically to physicians for review. If the clinical testing shows that the Sugar app's assessments of wound status match those of the physicians, then in the future it may be possible for patients, in consultation with their physicians, to use the app to decide if they can care for and dress the wounds at home or if a doctor's visit is needed, Dr. Even visiting a physician's office for an examination can require ambulance transport and cause additional injury or stress. Their progress in wound care and healthful lifestyle measures will be compared to others who do not have the app but receive the current standard of care provided by the clinic.Ĭurrently, treating chronic foot ulcers is a significant challenge because walking on ulcerated feet may cause further trauma. Patients will use the app for approximately six weeks, or the period that spans three visits to the wound clinic. The pilot clinical study at UMMS plans to enroll 30 diabetic patients who are being treated for foot ulcers at the medical center's wound clinic. Harlan said, with the vast majority being related to poorly controlled diabetes and ulcers that don't heal.
Locally, between 200 and 300 lower limb amputations are performed in a typical year at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Dr. Many people with advanced diabetes suffer from foot ulcers caused by neuropathy and reduced circulation to the extremities. He said his objective in this effort is to "test any new therapeutic approach to determine if it could make life easier or better for patients with diabetes." "For the first time, this system will give patients the ability to play an active role in their wound care."ĭavid Harlan, MD, the William and Doris Krupp Professor in Medicine, professor of medicine and director of the UMass Memorial Health Care Diabetes Center of Excellence, advised the WPI development team. Pedersen, PhD, professor of electrical and computer engineering at WPI, who led development of the wound image analysis system. "A key feature of the app is its ability to track the wound area and healing status, then report the information in a format easy for patients and their caregivers to understand," said Peder C. The app's novel wound-assessment system uses the smartphone's camera and computational power to capture and analyze images of chronic lesions known as foot ulcers, which are potentially dangerous complications of severe diabetes and can lead to amputations.Ī model foot is used to test a box that patients with advanced diabetes can use to monitor their foot ulcers with a smartphone and the Sugar app. Well done!" or "It's been 5 days since you last exercised. For example, the app might tell the patient, "You measured your glucose more often yesterday compared to the day before. The app then uses embedded evidence-based clinical information to prompt patients with specific messages. It also tracks exercise and other physical activity based on user input.
#DIABETES PILOT APP ANDROID#
The new app runs on Android smartphones and integrates wirelessly with both a patient's personal glucose meter and scale to track blood sugar levels and weight. An information technology specialist, Dr. "After two years of development and testing, we're pleased to have this application move into the hands of patients," said Diane Strong, PhD, principal investigator for the project. The work is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation. Named "Sugar," the app was built by an interdisciplinary engineering and technology team at WPI in partnership with diabetes, behavioral and wound-care specialists at UMMS.
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