While conducting a study to see if an evidence-based algorithm for wound care worked in the real world,¹ we noticed that some patients’ wounds stopped progressing when nearly healed. Data analysis showed that their caregivers were switching to gauze dressings. When asked why, they said it was “because the wound was almost healed and didn’t need evidence-based dressings any more.” The care-givers were acting as though time would heal the wounds.

Today we know this is nonsense. Those caregivers might have changed their minds about time healing wounds if they had tracked pr