Save $75 on AAWC’s Lower Extremity Summit (LEx), November 2-3, at the Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel. Register to save and benefit from educational sessions lead by a multidisciplinary team of practitioners with years of wound care experience.

Take advantage of our Flash Sale!

 Register with SAVE75 for $75 off 

Educational sessions will be presented by a multidisciplinary team, including:

Kim Thomas, DNP, is an Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner and works at the University of Washington Health-Valley Medical Center. Kim has 20 years of experience in lower extremity wound care and nursing and has been an Advanced Practice Nurse since 2010. Her specialties include Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nursing. 

 LEx Educational Sessions lead by Kim include: 

    •  Wound Care Work Up: The Basics

    •  If it Quacks is it a Duck? Atypical Wounds

James McKee, DPM, is a surgical podiatrist with MultiCare in Washington State where he works in a hospital-based clinic to facilitate limb-salvage in a high-risk population. Dr. McKee completed his residency in podiatric medicine and surgery (PMS-36) at Puget Sound VA in Seattle, Washington where he focused primarily on diabetic and limb-salvage medical and surgical treatments.

LEx Educational Sessions lead by Dr. McKee include: 
•  Wound Bed Preparation: Debridement: The Art Form and the Science
•  When Do You Call the Surgeon - Surgical Interventions?

William Tettelbach, MD, is a certified wound specialist who is actively board certified in Undersea & Hyperbaric Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Internal Medicine with formal training in Biomedical Informatics. Dr. Tettelbach is currently the acting Associate Chief Medical Officer for MiMedx Group, Inc. and is the Medical Director of Wound Care, Antibiotic Stewardship, and Infection Prevention at Promise Hospital.

LEx Educational Sessions lead by Dr. Tettelbach include: 

   •  Confucius Say - All mixed up! Wounds with Mixed Etiologies

   •  Bioburden Continuum 2: Systemic Infections, Antibiotic Stewardship

LEx is accredited for Physicians through ACCME and for Nurses through ANCC and Texas Physical Therapists. For more information, or to view details on accreditation for podiatrists, please click here. 

Have questions or inquiries? Please contact [email protected].

AAWC Board of Directors election is right around the corner. Before voting opens on Monday, October 14, 2019, we invite you to learn about the 18 candidates who are running to help lead the future of AAWC. At its core, AAWC is a multidisciplinary organization that champions the four pillars of education, public policy, research, and infrastructure to support wound care patients, researchers, advocates, and practitioners of all specialties. The AAWC Board of Directors serves to advance the initiatives of the AAWC which are focused on the strategic plan consisting of the four pillars.

This year’s candidates have a variety of professional backgrounds and skills, reinforcing the dynamic team approach that AAWC is founded on. On the elections webpage, each nominee describes how their qualifications align with the four pillars and their plans to support the Board in its efforts to meet AAWC's strategic objectives. Candidate’s credentials, years of AAWC membership, and CV are also available.

 “2020 is going to be a pivotal year for AAWC. Strong leadership is essential to carrying out a successful strategic plan. I am confident we have a highly proactive and experienced selection of qualified candidates. In the coming weeks, I encourage everyone to take the opportunity to get familiar with the Board of Directors candidates and vote.” Victoria E. Elliott, RPh, MBA, CAE, chief executive officer, Association for the Advancement of Wound Care.

Voting for AAWC’s Board of Directors ends on Sunday, November 10, 2019. Support the success of AAWC through participation in the upcoming election. Every voice counts in the direction and leadership of AAWC, the premiere voice of wound care.

Candidates include:

• Industry
  • Matthew Davis RN, CWON, CFCN
  • William Tettelbach MD, FACP, FIDSA, FUHM, CWS

• Nurse
• Jacalyn Brace Ph.D. ANP-BC RN-BC WOCN
• Maria Luisa Faner DNP, APRN, FNP-C, CWS
• E. Lynette Gunn APRN, GCNS-BC, CWCN CFCN
• Victoria Nalls GNP-BC, CWS, ACHPN

• Physical Therapist
• Rose Hamm PT, DPT
• Marta Ostler PT, CWS, CLT, DAPWCA
• Brandy Rose PT, DPT, CWS

• Physician
• Ali Bairos MD, CWSP, FACCWS
• Jonathan Johnson MD, MBA, CWSP
• Naz Wahab, MD

• Podiatric Physician
  
• Marcela Farrer DPM, MBA, CWS
• Marc Jones DPM, FACFAOM
• Jared Shippee DPM, DWC, WCC, PCWC, FAPWCA

• Research
• Alisha Oropallo, MD
• Nicola Waters Ph.D., MSc, RN

• Secretary, Executive Committee
  
• Kara Couch MS, CRNP, CWCN-AP

Learn more about each candidate by clicking here. For more information visit AAWC.

The Association for the Advancement of Wound Care (AAWC) is focused on success and stepping boldly into the future. AAWC held a Town Hall live webinar on Thursday, September 5th at 7:30 p.m., eastern time, led by AAWC’s Chief Executive Officer, Victoria E. Elliott, RPh, MBA, CAE. This interactive Town Hall provided a review of the association’s 2019 accomplishments, and a preview into the upcoming initiatives that will enable AAWC to reach its full potential as the leading voice in wound care.

Over the course of an hour, Victoria revealed new meeting opportunities, research initiatives, plans for a robust public policy agenda, and a new program to be launched this fall. Lead by AAWC’s core strategic pillars: Education, Public Policy, Infrastructure, and Research, Victoria discussed how each pillar will be strengthened moving forward.

Last fall, AAWC members indicated they desired more initiatives in education, impact on legislation, research to improve the patient care, and an increased AAWC presence. Victoria spoke to the programs and opportunities that will fulfill the needs of our association’s members.

In terms of education, AAWC offers a monthly Journal Club and regional educational programming. This year, AAWC offered a Pressure Ulcer Summit, two Wound Infection Summits, and has scheduled a Lower Extremity Summit that will take place November 2-3, in Sacramento, California. Looking ahead, AAWC will host its 3rd Annual Pressure Ulcer Summit tentatively scheduled for early February, introduce new Summits in 2020, have new journal club offerings, and provide more online professional development opportunities.

AAWC members received additional educational benefits this year, including:

• A complimentary copy of the WoundSourceTM 2019 publication
• Member-only access to Trip Database, an online clinical search engine 
• The opportunity for cross-certification in wound care through an ABWH certification conferment

The association is also involved in an international capacity as well. This year, AAWC had its first-ever exhibit booth at the European Wound Management Association’s annual meeting in Gothenburg, Sweden. AAWC is also a supporting society of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies and will be supplementing next year’s WUWHS conference in Abu Dhabi with a panel of AAWC wound care experts and a pre-conference workshop.

AAWC is passionate about its public policy pillar. In 2019 AAWC meet with former representative Jack Kingston, and his staff at Squire Patton Boggs, to discuss how to leverage its position in the wound care arena and mobilize a public policy agenda, especially as it relates to pressure ulcers. Additionally, President-Elect Ruth Bryant met with a number of House and Senate offices to educate lawmakers on the need for increased prevention of pressure ulcers for our nation’s veterans. As a commitment to making meaningful change, AAWC continues to be an active member of the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders.

This year, AAWC has strengthened its infrastructure by partnering with MCI USA. The new management partner brings over 30 years of experience to AAWC with expertise in the medical sector. MCI USA will assist AAWC staff and leadership in efforts to improve member engagement, expand educational initiatives, and strengthen AAWC’s position as the premier voice for wound care professionals. AAWC has also redesigned the board-approved nominations process, yielding numerous new candidates for the 2020 Board of Directors. Elections are scheduled to open on Monday, October 14, 2019.

As science and technology rapidly evolve, AAWC is committed to investing in research initiatives that will benefit members. AAWC is working to create a research agenda based on identified gaps in summits, a toolkit for developing a clinical question, a three-part education series on research project development and a task force to solidify a global common data set. Research work will also continue on the development of the Pressure Ulcer Description Tool.

Towards the conclusion of the meeting, Victoria announced plans for a new membership recognition opportunity: the AAWC Fellowship Program. This unique designation will be of great value for AAWC members where credentialing holds specific importance in career work.

AAWC’s future is brighter than ever before. The Town Hall confirms that plans are set in motion to have a strong finish to 2019 and an even brighter beginning to 2020. An AAWC membership holds incredible power, value, and commitment to outstanding patient care and best practices in the wound care space. The coming months and years are only the beginning of the incredible difference AAWC will make as the premiere voice of wound care. 

AAWC members can access the full September 11, 2019, Virtual Town Hall recording by clicking here. 

There are thousands of medical professional conferences each year around the world. The cost to host and attend professional conferences continues to increase while organizations are decreasing budgets allocated for attending. Then there is a notion that the internet and social media platforms make conference information and contacts available without ever leaving the office.

Historically, success is evidenced when meetings draw crowds, sponsors and exhibitors quantify a positive return on their investment, and the content is graded as informative by attendees. But success can also breed complacency with the temptation to re-bake the same successful recipe year after year. That is a mistake.

In 2019, the AAWC began offering regional education summits. The model offers science-based deep dives into specific topics crucial to advancing wound care. At the same time, the model is responsive to reduced budgets and enables members to travel shorter distances. On the other hand, the content of each summit draws global expertise to bring best in class research and care direct to those involved in the day-to-day ministrations of wound care. The increased intimacy of the regional meetings improves face-to-face interaction and connection so it is possible to actually meet with all those on a target list.

For example, the AAWC continues to host one annual Pressure Ulcer Summit (PrU) drawing attendees from across the globe. This topic is one of daily challenge to wound care providers and staying in front of current research is crucial. The Summit is designed to be collaborative, evidence-based, interactive, scientific, open and cutting edge. One attendee reported it to be, “a learning bonanza.” Ninety-eight (98%) percent of attendees said they were satisfied or highly satisfied with the multi-disciplinary approach to wound care and 94% said the PrU Summit exceeded their expectations.

In 2019 the AAWC will be host to multiple Wound Infection Summits (WIS, pronounced WISE) and the feedback about those held to date underscore the content and operational model are highly successful. With 94% reporting WIS to be scientifically sound and 92% reporting it helpful in practice and treatment strategies. One attendee said it was, “concise, relatable, and comprehensible.” Another described it as “exciting, collaborative, cutting-edge information.”

Conversely, AAWC members report different experiences with a recent national conference. One found the agenda to be virtually identical to offerings of prior years with the same topics for the educational tracks and even some repeat speakers. One said she will have a hard time selling through to her employer a compelling reason to attend again.

As the AAWC’s national and global presence expands, its influence for advancing wound care makes the AAWC’s leadership coveted partners at meetings hosted by others. This year, the AAWC has been invited to develop multidisciplinary wound care educational tracks for several prominent national meetings including DFCon, focusing on diabetic foot wounds, Desert Foot focusing on limb salvage, and the C3 Summit focused on collaboration among cardiovascular disciplines necessary to successfully manage complex coronary, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease. As an international partner to the European Wound Management Association (EWMA), the AAWC will participate in their global Summit in June.

While AAWC is likely to host national meetings in the future, it will do so with an eye toward assuring attendees find it fresh, scientific, medically practical, collaborative and interactive. However, for 2019 the bold move to shake up its conference model has proven smart. The following is the schedule for the remaining 2019 AAWC conferences. We hope to see you there.

AAWC Regional Wound Infection Summit

AAWC Regional Lower Extremity Summit
November 1-2, 2019
Sacramento, CA

Also look for AAWC Featured Tracks at these meetings:
Special AAWC Member Rates will apply!

***Log in to the Members Only section of the AAWC website to obtain Member Discount Codes***

Complex Cardiovascular Catheter Therapeutics: Advanced Endovascular and Coronary Intervention Global Summit (C3)
June 23-26, Orlando, FL
AAWC Members save 15% on registration!
http://www.c3conference.net/Main/Conference-Registration

DFCon – Diabetic Foot Global Conference
October 17-19, Los Angeles, CA
AAWC Members save 15% on registration!
http://dfcon.com/

Desert Foot
December 4-7, Phoenix, AZ
AAWC Members pay only $99!
https://www.desertfoot.org/

President’s Message: The AAWC Launches 2019 Regional Education Series

    The AAWC speaks as the voice for the entire wound healing community. And we also listen to our members. More than 80 percent of members have asked for regional education events with single topic symposia.

    Tired of hearing a sanitized and simplified overview on a topic at conferences, you asked for a deep dive presented by investigators themselves. Coming in 2019 is a second annual Pressure Ulcer Summit, critically analyzing and dissecting evidence for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.

A Spring regional meeting to focus on the problem of bacteria in chronic wounds is planned. Currently called W.I.S.E., Wound Infection Summit and Education, the first conference is scheduled for Atlanta in April. It will focus on the diagnosis and treatment of infection in chronic wounds. Experts will debate the latest research in wound infection. We are convinced that focused meetings such as these enable  thorough examination of topics pertinent to our membership.  

    In addition, the AAWC is bringing the meetings to you and increasing the availability of educational opportunities for everyone. We remain dedicated to our focus of being accessible, connected to our membership and collaborative, drawing on the knowledge of our interprofessional members.

    As we plan for 2019, I am reaching out personally to every member for guidance and assistance. Together we can advance the specialty of “woundology.”

    I look forward to hearing from you: [email protected]