Microsoft's Senior Director of Worldwide Health Bill Crounse just posted an article on his HealthBlog about the Wound Technology Network, which is a nationwide physician network that uses Windows Mobile-based phones for remote wound care.

"Every clinician understands the challenges associated with wound care," Crounse writes. "The process is slow, time-consuming, complex, and expensive. Non-healing, ulcerations and wounds are associated with a variety of chronic conditions including diabetes, peripheral vascular disease and stasis. Non-healing wounds are also associated with immobility due to aging, injury, paralysis, or other co-morbid conditions. Many of these patients end up being hospitalized to treat secondary infections, or to provide the intensive regime needed to heal chronic ulcerations or wounds. Hospitalization itself is risky as it exposes these susceptible patients to dangers they might not otherwise encounter in their home environment such as MRSA."

WTN's Windows Mobile phones help the caregivers capture information via the phone's camera at the point of care. The data can then be transmitted and incorporated into the medical record for continuity of care. WTN can then support caregiver collaboration with two-way audio and video streaming at the bedside.

Check out Crounse's post to download Microsoft's video on WTN.