title: Scaled Healing Assessment Index: a novel method for measuring the degree of wound bed preparation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The color of a wound bed reflects its degree of 'cleanness' and serves as an indicator in evaluating the progression of wounds toward healing. We were aiming to develop a standard tool, for use in clinical research studies, which would analyze and provide objective data as to the color distribution of wound surfaces. To this end, we designed the 'Scaled Healing Assessment Index' algorithmic tool to provide a scoring system to determine the average color of wound surfaces.
  
  
  METHODS
  The scale is graded from 1 to 10, with 1 representing the most unclean yellow wound, and 10 representing the optimal red wound. In order to test the accuracy of the software, 102 chronic wounds in 88 patients were examined. Each wound was assessed using a grading from 1 to 10, according to its color, using three separate methods: (1) by three dermatologists [average clinical score (ACS)] in the outpatient clinic; (2) by three other dermatologists with the same wounds presented on a computer screen [average photo score (APS)]; and (3) by the Scaled Healing Assessment Index [software score (SS)]. The results of the three methods were examined statistically using Pearson's correlation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found a high correlation between the ACSs and the SSs (0.86), between the APSs and the SSs (0.863), as well as the ACSs with the APSs (0.95).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Scaled Healing Assessment Index algorithm provides objective and reliable data, and can be used in research studies aimed at examining the beneficial effect of products intended for wound healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Soroka University Medical Center, Faculty of Health Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel. shaiavi@bgumail.bgu.ac.il
authors.forename: Avi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shai
authors.forename: Vadim
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Avrin
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zvulunov
authors.forename: Its'hak
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dinstein
mesh_terms: D003116:Color; D003646:Debridement; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007871:Leg Ulcer / Q000473:pathology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012984:Software / Q000592:standards; D014945:Wound Healing