The Vancouver Scar Scale: An Administration Tool and Its Interrater Reliability

The Burn Scar Index, often called the Vancouver Scar Scale, is widely used in clinical practice and research to document change in scar appearance. Several sections of the Index require equipment to accurately score the items. Additionally, the numeric scores are difficult to remember. We recently devised a pocket-sized tool to aid in scoring the scar and to increase staff compliance in use of the Index. With this tool interrater reliability is good, which makes the Burn Scar Index a viable measure for research.