Digital health for monitoring and managing hard-to-heal wounds

Thanks to new “smart” sensors and communication technologies such as smartphones, new opportunities have opened to smartly manage those wounds that hard-to-heal as well as assisting in preventing them to occur in the first place. Increasing the number of hard-to-heal wounds such as diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) in particular imposes a significant and often underappreciated burden to the individual, the healthcare system, and the society at whole. For example, the prevalent and long neglected DFU and its related complications rank among the most debilitating and costly sequelae of diabetes. Unfortunately, even after the resolution of a foot ulcer, recurrence is common and is estimated to be 40% within 1 year after ulcer healing. Consumer electronics and related technology are increasingly being integrated into every aspect of our lives, representing an opportunity for creative solutions to prevent this devastating condition or promote ulcer-free days. This chapter overviews the development of digital health, wearables, and mobile applications (mHealth) for improvement of managing those wounds that are hard and costly to heal.