09/16/2017    Steven J. Kavros, DPM

Choosing a Wound Care Organization

I am writing to clarify the misrepresentation and
inaccuracies of James McGuire, DPM in a recent
article in Podiatry Management.

The American Professional Wound Care Association®
(APWCA) is a non-profit medical association
welcoming medical providers from all disciplines
involved in prevention and treatment of difficult
wounds. Through a synergy of disciplines, APWCA
has been a worldwide leader in clinician advocacy
and education for the prevention and treatment of
acute and chronic wounds since 2001. This
association provides an informational and
educational forum for healthcare providers, while
promoting excellence in wound healing and patient
advocacy.

Membership is open to physicians and allied
medical specialists who are involved in treating
patients with non-healing or complex wounds.
These include, but not limited to:
anesthesiologist/pain management,
endocrinologists, general surgeons, infectious
disease specialists, internists, wound care
nurses, nurse practitioners, physician
assistants, nutritionists, orthopedists,
pedorthists, physical therapists, plastic
surgeons, podiatrists, vascular surgeons, and all
specialists involved in the management of wounds
and the related complications.

The current membership statistics are as follows:

Total (Percentage)
Physician 822 (77.91%)
Non-Physician 178 (16.87%)
Student/Resident 24 (2.27%)
Retired 15 (1.42%)
Industry 9 (0.85%)
Admin 7 (0.66%)
TOTAL 1055 (100.00%)

As you can see, the percentage of physician
membership is 78% and the allied health (RN, PT)
is 17% with a very minor amount of additional
representation.

The American Board of Wound Healing (ABWH)
provides a pathway for certification to wound
care and hyperbaric practitioners who meet
established educational, professional, clinical
and examination standards. ABWH certification is
available to a variety of clinicians, including
physicians, nurses, technicians and other allied
health professionals. Successful completion of an
ABWH examination is recognized by a Certification
of Added Qualification. The ABWH is not a
membership association.

The purpose and function of the ABWH:
• To improve the quality of the clinical practice
of wound care and hyperbaric medicine
• To establish and maintain high standards of
excellence in the specialties of wound care and
hyperbaric medicine
• To evaluate specialists who apply for initial
certification
• To provide a process to recognize continued
clinical competence via recertification
• To grant and issue to qualified practitioners
Certificates of Added Qualification and other
recognition of established advanced knowledge and
clinical skills in wound care and hyperbaric
medicine, as well as to suspend or revoke the
same when necessary
• To serve the public, professional societies,
hospital credentialing committees, and licensing
boards by providing status verification of
diplomates certified by the American Board of
Wound Healing

The above information gives accurate clarity to
the misrepresentation from Jim McGuire published
in your periodical. Thank you for allowing the
correct information to be represented.

Steven J. Kavros, DPM, President, American
Professional Wound Care Association

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