The technology for the ulcer stage prediction solution system based on imaging and recommending appropriate dressing methods has been developed by Korean researchers.
Professor Kang Mira from the Department of Health and Medicine at Samsung Hospital and the research team of Shim Soyeon, Kim Minkyung, and Song Mira from the Nursing Department collaborated with Fine Healthcare to develop ‘Skinex,’ an AI-based ulcer stage prediction solution system. This was presented at the 2022 Global Conference organized by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
Skinex (Skin Explainable AI) scans images of the ulcer area, classifying them into stages (stage 1 to 4, unclassified, deep tissue injury), predicting tissue damage in real time, and suggesting suitable dressing types for treatment when skin condition information is entered into the system.
Approximately 10,000 pressure ulcer images were collected through the Barcoded Point of Care (BPOC) system, labeled and developed by three nurses with over 10 years of experience, resulting in a solution with high reliability and accuracy.
With the introduction of Skinex, there is now an expectation to provide ‘high-quality’ care services for patients with ulcers, improving accuracy by minimizing errors in assessing ulcer stages and providing comprehensive information about dressing materials.
Currently, after 13 inpatient departments have participated in the pilot program, there are plans to enhance the solution by adding more functions and collecting data necessary for nursing bedridden patients, while also expanding into the global market.
Professor Kang Mira, who supervises this research, stated, “The AI-based management solution system for predicting ulcer stages will provide useful guidance for nurses to deliver healthcare services while alleviating their workload by providing real-time information about ulcer stages and treatment guidance for nurses managing bedridden patients.”
Furthermore, Nurse Shim Soyeon, a co-developer of the solution system, remarked, “The solution system is installed on hospital mobile devices, allowing both new and experienced nurses to leverage the system to their advantage.”
