Cooperation

  When is a spirit of cooperation needed most? I would suggest it is when we are dealing with and helping others. In any family, organization, or group, harmony and success are dependent on individuals and groups cooperating. We have discovered that the cooperation of a multi-specialty team, groups with different philosophies and skills, can improve the treatment outcomes for patients with chronic wounds. I think all would agree that everything works better when there is a spirit of cooperation. Unfortunately, not all in wound care apparently share this philosophy.   I recently returned from a meeting of the North American Wound Care Council (NAWCC). The NAWCC is an alliance of wound care societies in North America and Mexico “Dedicated to collaborative efforts to improve wound prevention and care in North America.”¹ The NAWCC promotes the common interests of its member organizations in skin integrity and wound management through enhanced inter-organizational communication and joint initiatives.¹ This is a great alliance with very worthy goals, but apparently all do not agree. Currently, only 6 member organizations comprise the alliance—2 from Canada, 3 from the United States, and 1 from Mexico. For reasons unknown, numerous well-known wound care organizations, which will remain nameless at this time, have chosen not to be affiliated with the alliance; this seems sad to me.   The alliance is not a group that is or should be dominated by one organization or group. It is not a vehicle to “spy” on other organizations and “steal” everyone’s good ideas. No, the alliance is there for all to share ideas and goals, to coordinate efforts so that maximal benefit can be achieved with each endeavor, and to promote each other’s programs. A spirit of cooperation is critical for all of us if we are going to achieve the goal of providing evidence-based, sustainable wound care for all. The task is so monumental that the only hope we have of making any lasting headway is through cooperation.   If we truly have a spirit of cooperation, shouldn’t we want others to benefit from our experiences? Why should each organization have to make the same mistakes? This wastes time and resources that could be better utilized exploring new ground. Through these meetings I have been the beneficiary of information, which led me to push forward on certain issues and hold back on others. To date, I have not been misled or disappointed by the input.   Cooperating with others with similar goals and aspirations has additional benefits. It is a source of encouragement and gives us a vision to help patients. Cooperation also makes us more patient focused rather than organization focused. It does us no good to build a mighty organization if it does not serve the needs of the healthcare providers, caregivers, and patients.   I would encourage the “non-participating” organizations to rethink their stance and consider joining the North American Wound Care Council. The next meeting will be held in conjunction with the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) in Dallas, Texas in April 2011. We look forward to an enhanced spirit of cooperation among all in the wound care community at home and abroad.
1. Mission Statement. North American Wound Care Council.