Guest Editorial: Pursuing Timely Endeavors

  Welcome to the Annual AAWC focus issue of OWM. It is my pleasure to provide an overview of the affairs of the Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC). As the first podiatrist President of the AAWC and with support from the AAWC Board of Directors, we are creating a platform to address the escalating epidemic of diabetic foot complications and fostering amputation prevention. By promoting a multidisciplinary approach and working in tandem with like-minded organizations, we can initiate a meaningful network, strengthen our efforts, and create a pathway to help diminish the suffering of individuals with this disease.

As a secondary benefit, this initiative could open the door to increased corporate support and grants to help our organization grow, while furthering our AAWC Global Volunteers efforts, Scholarship Program, Government/Regulatory work, Wounds In Need (WIN) patient initiatives, and other programs. I am also pleased to report that an evidenced-based “clinical guideline of all guidelines” concerning foot ulcers in patients with diabetes is underway, along with the creation of a separate guideline for wound infection. These guidelines will ultimately lead to the creation of current, high-quality patient education materials to assist the community at large.

  The AAWC Global Volunteers program continues and is open to all members of the AAWC. When the program was established years ago, we developed a partnership with Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO) that initially focused on areas outside the United States that rely on little to no medical infrastructure. This required the development of wound care training modules that could translate to the meaningful care of patients in countries such as India, Cambodia, Peru, and Haiti. To augment this initiative, the AAWC now will expand this successful training model to the United States. We envision multiple partnerships with like-minded organizations in this effort. For example, currently we are working on the details of a collaboration with the Save a Leg, Save a Life (SALSAL) foundation and look forward to releasing more information soon. An aging population within our country, coupled with a dramatic increase in diabetes and related conditions, creates an environment where our expertise and resources are critical.

  Finally, we will be organizing a “One Voice” initiative to develop dialogue and cohesiveness among many of the professional organizations and societies involved in the wound care community. As one example, we are working with the European Wound Management Association (EWMA) on a position paper regarding the importance and necessity of the multidisciplinary approach to wound care. We expect this initiative to allow our professionals to speak to patients, payors, and US governmental agencies with “one voice.” With changes and uncertainty as to how medical care will be rendered and reimbursed in our country in the future, these accords remain critical pieces in ensuring our survival. Bringing together the shared concerns and goals of many organizations ultimately could lead to worldwide consensus on a wide variety of wound care-related topics.

  The AAWC’s mission is to be the leader in interdisciplinary wound healing and tissue preservation. If you are not a member, please consider joining at a discounted rate for clinicians through December 31, 2012. There are also low rates for students and retired clinicians, and industry, facility, and patient/lay-caregiver memberships are available. Please read about the many financial and other benefits offered and join at www.aawconline.org.

  Best regards,
  Robert Snyder, DPM, MSc, CWS
  Medical Director, Systagenix Wound Management, Quincy, MA
  Professor and Director of Clinical Research, Barry University, Tamarac, FL
  President, Association for the Advancement of Wound Care

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