TIMERS: The Race Against Hard-to-Heal Wounds — Advanced Therapies & Patient-Related Factors
In Part 4 (Sections 5 and 6) of the “TIMERS: The Race Against Hard-to-Heal Wounds” series, *Wound Care Professional* Consultant Editor **Menna Lloyd Jones** explores the advanced and adjunctive product options alongside the critical impact of patient-related factors in wound management.
Advanced & Adjunctive Product Use — When and How:
- Adjunctive therapies such as amniotic membranes, ECM scaffolds, platelet-rich plasma, bioengineered skin substitutes, negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT), oxygen therapy, stem cell treatments, and autologous skin grafts can be deployed to enhance repair and regeneration.
- Ancillary options like chemical debriders (e.g., Santyl®, Octenidine), larval therapy, and activated carbon dressings serve purposes such as biofilm removal, odor control, and non-traumatic debridement.
- Choice of advanced therapies must account for wound condition, infection status, cost, patient readiness, and realistic goals, ideally in the setting of multidisciplinary care.
Managing Patient-Related (Social) Factors:
- The “S” component in TIMERS addresses social circumstances—such as patient literacy, belief systems, psychosocial status, adherence, and support networks—that profoundly influence outcomes.
- Effective wound care requires patient engagement, tailored education, motivational interviewing, goal setting, and active listening to align care with individual life contexts.
- Understanding and addressing these factors creates a strong foundation for healing and significantly improves the success of advanced therapies.
Conclusion: Integrating advanced wound therapies with a robust strategy for managing social and patient-related determinants under the TIMERS framework enables truly holistic, patient-centered wound management—especially vital in complex or recalcitrant cases.
Keywords:
Menna Lloyd Jones,
TIMERS framework,
advanced therapies,
adjunctive products,
patient-related factors,
holistic wound care,
debridement