Implementing Wound Balance: Outcomes and future recommendations

Non-healing wounds can reduce quality of life (QoL) for millions of people globally, are costly, and result in significant patient, clinician and healthcare system burden (Guest et al, 2020; Ahmajärvi et al, 2022; Queen and Harding, 2023; Sen, 2023). There is a significant need to proactively address the projected rise of non-healing wounds by earlier intervention, resource optimisation and patient-centred care.

The concept of ‘Wound Balance’ developed in 2023 can help address these unmet needs (Wounds International, 2023). Wound Balance aims to create a holistic picture of the patient and their wound so clinicians can achieve a balance between the many facets of wound care planning and achievable goals.

Effective patient communication has long been identified as a major goal (King and Hoppe, 2013; Wang et al, 2020). Most people with chronic wounds receive their treatment in either community or nursing/home-care settings (Lindholm and Searle, 2016; Blome et al, 2024). This consensus publication presents the findings from a global network of wound care clinicians who have implemented Wound Balance in their clinical settings for a variety of wound aetiologies. It aims to provide practical tips and actionable insights for wound care clinicians around the world in implementing and achieving Wound Balance for their patients.

A major focus of this consensus is to provide patient communication strategies for wound care clinicians in these settings. However, recommendations from this consensus are equally applicable to all wound care practitioners in all clinical settings, including podiatrists, vascular specialists, general physicians and acute care clinicians. 

This resource has been supported by HARTMANN

Download the PDF to access full consensus document.