Lorie Henderson

The PULSE Amputation Prevention Center, a multidisciplinary limb salvage program based in El Paso, Texas, recently adopted a new critical wound care tool — CarePICS.

“PULSE is committed to preventing amputations and saving lives,” says Lorie Henderson, PULSE’s administrator and clinical director. “CarePICS was the missing puzzle piece we needed to complete our full circle of care.”

Henderson wants to spread the word about CarePICS. The vascular and wound care solution optimized the program’s ability to treat wound care patients.

Dedicated to Amputation Prevention

PULSE focuses on awareness, treatment, identification and intervention for critical limb ischemia (CLI), peripheral artery disease (PAD) and advanced wound patients. PULSE’s goal is to provide comprehensive evaluations and treatment of complex wounds and vascular intervention by a holistic team of experts.

Because the Amputation Prevention Center is housed in two separate buildings, the program especially needed a centralized hub to strengthen continuity of care.

PULSE learned about CarePICS through Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. (CSI), a medical device company that develops revascularization solutions for patients. As Henderson explains, “I realized almost immediately that this is huge. CarePICS is so much more than a wound care app.”

How CarePICS Streamlines Processes and Provides a Centralized Hub

CarePICS creates connections not just between the primary care physicians (PCPs) who refer patients to PULSE but between the Amputation Prevention Center’s vascular and wound care staff. The virtual care platform is especially valuable for Henderson, who is a CLI navigator — connecting all disciplines and guiding the patient journey through various levels of care.

“From our first interaction with a patient, we gain immediate access to electronic medical records (EMRs) provided by their PCPs,” says Henderson. “Our physicians can then capture and upload images consistently and accurately with minimal data entry. Specialists access the data in real-time without running back and forth between buildings. They can reach out to consultants for advice and second opinions. And they can report all of their documentation, findings and recommendations into a secure server.”

CarePICS breaks down bottlenecks and improves workflows, marking cases as urgent when needed and alerting colleagues to next steps such as referrals or surgery. The virtual care platform guides the entire high-tech care team through the patient healing process.

Evolving Technology and Collaboration to Fit Clinician Needs

CarePICS understands PULSE as a clinical and operational partner, working together as part of a pilot for the multidisciplinary model. “CarePICS is a perfect fit for our multi-modal care model that has proved so successful. They’ve been receptive and fluid supporting with us and the technology evolves to fit our needs,” says Henderson.

Henderson and her team started off with the general specs for CarePICS and provided feedback and insight. CarePICS was quick to respond with modifications and enhanced functionalities. Healthcare professionals can now quickly add patients, take and drop in images, and more.

PULSE hopes to develop a vascular component moving forward and incorporate perfusion imaging to identify at-risk tissue. “It’s fresh and exciting!” says Henderson. “We’re working on a practice model. We also hope to use CarePICS for more forms of medical imaging in general. We see many possibilities for utilizing CarePICS well into the future!”  

For More Information

Change can invigorate a practice – and transition difficulties alleviated through strong partnerships. Visit the CarePICS website to find out how your healthcare organization can utilize a robust hub of coordination for wound care and vascular patients.

You can also contact PULSE Amputation Prevention Center at pulseamputationprevention.com or 915-243-FOOT (3668).

About CarePICS

CarePICS^® is a HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform designed to manage vascular disease and wound care patients. CarePICS enables virtual consults, telehealth visits, clinical image reporting, and automated medical supply ordering.