Special to OWM: Honoring the Honoree

   George T. Rodeheaver, PhD, Director of Plastic Surgery Research, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Va., was presented the 2003 Founder's Award at the 16th Annual Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC), April 28- May 1, Las Vegas, Nev. The Founder's Award was established in 1997 to acknowledge those who go above and beyond to make a difference in wound care and management.

   Dr. Rodeheaver has been a member of the SAWC planning committee since the Symposium's inception in 1987. Early on, the planning committee was thinking "evidence-based management." Dr. Rodeheaver served as the guide. He would always ask Symposium planners to "critically think" about the proposed curriculum, persuasively using his scientific background to influence presentation choices. As one of the judges, he helped elevate the status of the poster and oral presentations, demanding that presenters "show the evidence." He worked with many colleagues to provide sessions on understanding research; as a result, they now rethink how things are done. A willing listener with sound opinions, Dr. Rodeheaver has a gift with words and clarity that is enhanced by his southern gentlemanly manner.

   The late 1980s were a busy time for wound care. The Gaymar Corporation funded a project - the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP) under the direction of Thomas Stewart, PhD, and Louise Colburn, RN. Dr. Rodeheaver was a founding member of the group and was president for 4 years. During his term, he chaired two national NPUAP conferences and worked with the WOCN and other organizations to preserve reimbursement for wound dressings. He was instrumental in sharing the NPUAP model for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers with other countries, including Australia, Great Britain, and France. He was also a member of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Guideline Development Panel on Pressure Ulcers in Adults: Prediction and Prevention 1990, and in 1994 worked on the Treatment Guidelines.

  In 1995, a group of women did a Session at the SAWC called " Women Who Run with the Wounds." They honored Dr. Rodeheaver by presenting him with an honorary "Wounder Women" T-shirt.

   Dr. Rodeheaver is a prolific writer and has contributed to many book chapters and journal articles. He is a co-editor (along with Diane Krasner and Gary Sibbald) of Chronic Wound Care: A Clinical Source Book for Healthcare Professionals. Third Edition, the bible for wound care specialists. Ever the mentor, he continues his research and is an active participant in a number of societies and organizations.

  Catherine Ratliff, PhD, GNP, CWOCN, and Dr. Rodeheaver were instrumental in establishing the Chronic Wound Care Clinic and the Hyperbaric Medicine Service at the University of Virginia. They work collaboratively on clinical research projects focused on improving the healing of chronic wounds, as evidenced by his efforts regarding wound care prevention in his state. When Dr. Rodeheaver retired as a NPUAP panel member, he was surprised that the work on a national level had not trickled down to the states and localities. His investigation determined that Virginia had a high incidence of pressure ulcers. Only a few state and local nursing homes were utilizing the AHCPR guidelines. He and other interested colleagues established the Virginia Pressure Ulcer Resource Team (VPURT). The VPURT group is dedicated to keeping up with pressure ulcer issues and providing information, research, and support necessary to help legislators enact policies that will support pressure ulcer prevention and training of the nursing staff. His vision is to provide the knowledge, legislation, and resources necessary so that every nursing home resident receives the best pressure ulcer prevention and treatment possible.

   In 2001, Dr. Rodeheaver made another wise career and personal move when he asked Pamela Foreman, another wound care researcher who has been involved in the SAWC for many years, to become his wife. O/WM congratulates Dr. Rodeheaver on his achievements and wishes him continued success and fulfillment in all of his endeavors and partnerships.