From the Top: The AAWC Team is Making a Difference. Be a Player!

 The Association for the Advancement of Wound Care is a unique organization. As an inclusive, multidisciplinary association open to members from all over the world, regardless of specialty, background, or purpose for joining, the potential for accomplishment is as limitless as a cloudless sky in the middle of a bright and sunny day.

  When developing strategic plans, the AAWC Board has considered important questions: Does the AAWC exist only to build and help an empire of members? Or does the AAWC exist to reach out to those in need, regardless of membership?

  There needs to be a delicate balance between building membership and giving selflessly to the broader community in order to accomplish AAWC's mission to build a collaborative community that facilitates optimal care for the millions who suffer with wounds. Achieving this mission requires the support of the population served. We are calling on every reader of this AAWC special focus issue of OWM to consider the personal and professional benefits of our Association.

  We think you will agree: the AAWC has big plans and is making great strides in the wound care arena.

US Wound Care

  As a leading voice for wound care in the US, the AAWC's organizational goal is to help establish wound care as an identifiable specialty in the field of medicine. The AAWC's new Wound Care Specialty Task Force aims to accomplish this goal over time – the more immediate goal is to tackle the ever-increasing governmental and regulatory challenges that can negatively impact wound care. The AAWC stands strong in support of positive changes and seeks to build important bridges among all players, including but not limited to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the National Quality Forum (NQF).

Global Impact

  The AAWC developed the idea for the World Wound Care Alliance (WWCA) in 2006. The WWCA aims to advance the level of wound care knowledge and practice nationally and abroad. In 2007, the AAWC launched the WWCA's first "arm," a partnership with Health Volunteers Overseas (HVO). Members' generous donations afforded leaders from the AAWC the opportunity to travel to HVO program sites to assess needs and subsequently develop educational modules for use in teaching wound care to the underprivileged abroad. In less than 1 year, four wound care management program sites were opened for AAWC volunteers in Vellore, India; Lima, Peru; Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Siem Reap, Cambodia. In 2008, the AAWC's goal is to conduct pilot studies in at least two other countries. Additionally, as we gather experience in developing these programs, we will initiate the establishment of a national arm that will meet the needs of the underprivileged in America.

A Champion for Wound Care Professionals

  Complementary to the mission of the WWCA, the AAWC's "Advancing the Practice" (ATP) initiative will continue to provide an ever-expanding free library of web-based resources to wound care professionals, regardless of membership. ATP's mission is to advance the practice of wound care by expanding the number of professionals who dedicate their careers to this important specialty and by providing them with the information and resources necessary to accomplish their professional goals. What makes the AAWC's efforts unique is that while the free online resource library will continue to expand, the hot topics and news articles found at this sub-domain of AAWC's website, www.advancingthepractice.aawconline.org, will be researched and changed monthly, while older articles will be archived in a searchable database for everyone's convenience. This makes AAWC's parent website, www.aawconline.org, a true one-stop shop for the latest wound care news and information.

Strategic Alliances

  The AAWC continues to seek alliances with major US healthcare organizations and others that serve special market segments. For example, alliances with major organizations such as the American Medical Association (AMA), American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA), American Diabetes Association (ADA), American Nurses Association (ANA), and the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) will elevate awareness of AAWC's mission and lend the additional credibility needed to tackle important issues. Working with organizations such as the HVO and the World Health Organization (WHO) will help the AAWC expedite its ability to meet its goal to impact global wound care. Further, sharing knowledge and resources with niche organizations such as the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is an attempt to spread awareness to our nation’s schools and the children (and subsequently the parents) who may be subjected to outdated practices and treatments. We are currently striving to build and/or strengthen various alliances and welcome anyone with ties to organizations that can to help us achieve this goal.

Be a Player!

  We hope this information, coupled with the articles you will read in this issue of OWM, will reassure you that you made one of your career's best choices the day you joined the AAWC's team of supportive individuals. If you are a non-member, we hope you will gain a better understanding of the AAWC's role in the wound care community. Then, please accept our invitation to join. Every aspect of the AAWC is important, whether it is the offer of top-notch educational articles, resources, services, and materials; the ability to simply support worthwhile endeavors; or the opportunities for networking and relationship-building.

Application Enclosed

  Please locate the AAWC Membership Application inside this issue and review all of the exclusive benefits of membership. Then, begin a worthwhile journey with 1,800 other "team members" – clinicians, healthcare facilities, students, retirees, lay caregivers, patients, and corporations — all dedicated to the advancement of wound care.

  On behalf of the AAWC Board of Directors and Membership at Large, I am looking forward to welcoming you to the team. Why settle for a seat on the bench? Be a player!

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