Brightshores Health System is incorporating a new artificial intelligence (AI) digital tool to help assess wounds.
After securing additional co-funding from the DIGITAL organization, with support from a nurse practitioner clinical lead from Grey County Long Term Care, Brightshores' Office of Research and Innovation will be implementing the technology at the Hanover and District Hospital, South Bruce Grey Health Centre, and CarePartners.
Over the last two years, Brightshores rolled out the Skin and Wound Tool from Swift Medical in the six Brightshores hospital sites. Now, the use of the tool is being spread further throughout Grey and Bruce counties.
The Swift technology "incorporates AI to determine wound surface area, depth and tissue type to aid clinician ability to predict individual healing trajectories to standardize wound assessments," according to a statement from Brightshores.
As part of the now regional rollout, healthcare partners will work with Brightshores to develop a community of practice encouraging other stakeholders to improve wound care work in the region. The project will continue until the end of February 2027.
"This technology has been a welcome tool, providing our front-line staff with extremely accurate wound care assessments. This tool also improves patient education by acting as a visual resource and reducing the burden on our limited nurse wound specialists," said Ann Ford, president and CEO of Brightshores Health System.
"With the Scale Up project we will be helping other partners in Grey Bruce onboard the technology quickly and together work towards building a regional wound care approach. It will be focused on standardized assessments, improved documentation and enhanced communication between organizations as patients transition between acute and home care," added Rebecca Brookham, the director of the Office of Research and Innovation at Brightshores Health System.
