Guest Editorial: The AAWC — Advancing Wound Care Through Membership and Collaboration

  In April 2014, I took the helm of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). For the past 7 months, I have proudly served, committed to leading our organization through undertakings that will continue to help us make a meaningful difference in clinician education and patient care.

  AAWC’s focus is on advancing our field while continuing to build our organization’s infrastructure and financial strength. The AAWC has nearly 20 years of significant organizational growth and has witnessed the successful development of many unique and exciting programs and educational offerings.

  Our leadership is working toward a stronger, united voice in government and public policy; as such, we are dedicated to collaborating with other entities and focusing on what matters to our members and their future. One goal is the consolidation of efforts among societies so wound care professionals and government agencies have one set of resources to utilize — resources that will be crafted by united development teams that are supported by tens of thousands of professional organization members. One example is the merging of clinical guidelines among societies, beginning with a partnership between the AAWC and the Wound Healing Society to combine our venous ulcer guidelines. Currently, our guidelines were accessed more than 50,000 times in the past year from guidelines.gov!

  As we approach our 20th anniversary in 2015, we are endeavoring to help affect change in clinical practice. The AAWC is the host society for a new, multisocietal initiative entitled “Wound-care Experts/FDA — Clinical Endpoints Project” that will propose a new set of clinical endpoints to the US Food and Drug Administration. If you would like to be involved in shaping the development of this critical project, please do not miss the AAWC’s 20th Anniversary Membership Meeting — “Help Shape Our Field” — at SAWC Spring in San Antonio, TX on May 1, 2015.

  Another AAWC priority is to support and mentor our members. To this end, the AAWC will have its own track at the SAWC Spring 2015 meeting in San Antonio. The AAWC Clinical Practice track will provide evidence-based, patient-centered, interdisciplinary, practical information that clinicians will easily be able to share with decision makers and colleagues after the conference. Best practice pearls and tips will be delivered that can be implemented immediately upon your return from the Symposium. This track will cover not only what to do to grow wound care as a professional practice and career, but also will empower the learner with the knowledge about how to do it.

  The AAWC has strategic plans designed to promote growth. In order for us to continue to be successful, we must strengthen our ties with the community at large and across the globe. The AAWC is working for you and this profession; if you are not a member, we encourage you to join. Support us with modest annual tax-deductible dues. Our leadership continues to develop a culture in which we assist one another and embrace our differences by providing focused attention on all of our segments, both separately and together. Throughout this issue of OWM, you will read about many of our projects and programs and how you can get involved.

  The AAWC greatly appreciates and acknowledges its board, committee, and task force members and its staff for their continued hard work to advance the Association. Their commitment enables us to accomplish our goals and objectives. Our collaboration with our corporate sponsors and advisory team members is productive and inspiring. Most of all, we are grateful to the caring clinicians who are the faces of the practice of wound care. Please be sure you are a part of our effort to make a positive difference in the lives of your patients.

This article was not subject to the Ostomy Wound Management peer-review process.