Telemedicine Optimized Burn Intervention

Because burn patients and their caregivers often live long distances from regional burn centers, access to expert burn care is limited, resulting in a negative effect on adherence to treatment and a higher risk of wound complication. A novel smartphone application synchronized with a web portal for providers, called the Telemedicine Optimized Burn Intervention (TOBI), was recently developed to enable burn experts to direct burn wound care while the patient and caregiver are home through text messaging, image transfer, and video-conferencing. The goal of the present study is evaluate TOBI compared to face-to-face care as usual for pediatric patients/caregivers visiting a burn center. This study will also assess the feasibility of conducting a larger-scale clinical trial in several burn centers. The app will allow the physician and patient/caregivers to make instant decisions regarding treatment, allowing for "turn on a dime" treatment decisions, rather than having the patients and families wait for scheduled clinic appointments, often hours away from home. This "on demand" medical care takes an innovative approach to increasing access to burn experts through smartphone technology and addressing adherence to prescribed treatment by increasing communication between provider and patients.