Wound Research Database With Clinical Decision Support for Patients With All Wounds

The goal of this project to begin using a wound research database with clinical decision support features at Winthrop University Hospital. A research database is an electronic computer system that is used to collect patient information. Clinical decision support is the ability for a computer system to provide medical assistance to the doctor through alerts and recommendations based on the information entered. The investigators believe that use of a wound clinical decision support tool, much like a drug, will improve healing in patients with chronic wounds (wounds that fail to heal over the course of weeks) and ultimately lower the risk of death and illness caused by these wounds. In order to develop a useful clinical decision support tool, investigators first need to develop a large research database to determine the data points important for wound healing. The investigators will be using the data collected in this study for future research and publication. Data will be reviewed to answer questions important to wound healing and for the purpose of developing the clinical decision support alert system.

After providing informed consent, participants will be asked a series of questions related to their past medical history, and relevant wound data will be collected. Study staff will photograph the wound at baseline, and once per week until the wound is completely healed, or for a duration of six months.

Participants will be expected to return to Winthrop University Hospital for wound follow-up on a regular basis, or as determined by the Principal Investigator.