Ep.23 The Current State of AI in Wound Care

In this episode of WoundCasters, Dr. Felix Boecker takes a thoughtful, grounded look at the rapidly evolving role of artificial intelligence in skin and wound care. Moving beyond hype and headlines, Felix examines what AI actually is—and what it is not—through the lens of current clinical realities. Drawing from a recent article published in Advances in Skin and Wound Care and his own response to it, he frames AI not as a replacement for clinicians, but as a developing partner that has the potential to improve precision, consistency, and decision-making in wound care practice.Felix explores how AI is already being used today, including wound measurement, image recognition, healing trajectory tracking, early infection detection, symptom reporting, and treatment recommendations. He discusses both the promise and the limitations of these tools, emphasizing the importance of human oversight, real-world validation, and clinician involvement in development. AI, he argues, currently sits somewhere between a tool and a toy—but with proper engagement from wound care professionals, it can mature into a reliable clinical collaborator that reduces human error and enhances data-driven oversight.The episode also reinforces what AI can never replace: empathy, judgment, and the human connection at the heart of medicine. While algorithms can analyze data and flag concerns, they cannot comfort a patient, understand fear, or build trust. Felix concludes with a call to action for clinicians to actively shape how AI is designed, implemented, and ethically integrated into care. When technology and compassion work together, he argues, the future of wound care becomes not just more efficient—but more human.