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American Professional Wound Care Association

The American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA) will hold its APWCA2009 National Conference, "Wound Care and the Related Sciences," on April 2-5, 2009, at the Sheraton Philadelphia City Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A new scientific agenda and several new faculty members combine to present a program of dynamic speakers for the 2009 event. Topics covering the spectrum of wound care include "Pruritis: Etiology and Treatment-A Difficult-to-Treat Skin Condition," "Drug Interactions & Wound Repair," "Infection vs Bioburden Assessment Treatment Protocol," "Metabolic Syndrome: Implications for Wound Healing: A Must-Recognize Entity for Wound Care Professionals," and "Wounds from War, What Have We Learned to Improve Patient Outcomes?" These lectures represent a portion of the new exciting topics and themes that will be offered.

 

In addition, preconference and postconference breakout sessions on many subjects are on the agenda. The conference offers something for everyone providing wound care to learn and take back to their practice. Speakers include internationally known thought and content leaders in the field of wound care with presenters from the United States to Zurich, Switzerland, and abstract submissions from as far away as Taiwan. The APWCA brings illustrious presenters-some are well known, whereas others are rising stars in their field. They include William Li, MD; Dieter Mayer, MD, FAPWCA; Jeremy Tamir, MD, FAPWCA; Diane Krasner, PhD, FAPWCA; Elizabeth Ayello, PhD, FAPWCA; Sharon Baranoski, MSN, DAPWCA; Robert Frykberg, DPM, FAPWCA; James McGuire, DPM, FAPWCA; and Allen Jacobs, DPM, FAPWCA.

 

R. Gary Sibbald, BSc, MD, MEd, FRCPC (Med Derm), ABIM, DABD, FAPWCA, who is from Canada, will be the recipient of the APWCA Distinguished Achievement Award. Currently, Dr Sibbald's professional activities include serving as president of the World Union of Wound Healing Societies and as clinical associate editor of Advances in Skin & Wound Care. Dr Sibbald will address "The 'Hole' Spectrum-Linking Education, Evidence, and Empowerment to Patients, Providers, and Payers" as part of a panel shared with Dr Elizabeth Ayello and Sharon Baranoski. Richard Salcido, MD, will address "Metabolic Syndrome." David Allie, MD, FAPWCA, will address "Surgical Revascularization and Endovascular Interventions" as part of the Symposium on Critical Limb Ischemia presented by a collaboration between the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine and the APWCA.

 

Other conference scientific program highlights include "Burns: Full Treatment Protocol for an Outpatient Setting" by Paul Glat, MD; and "Nutritional Assessment Chronic Wounds, Key Markers, and Their Values: The Role of Vitamin D, Other Vitamins, and Minerals in Wound Care and Diabetes" by Allen Jacobs, DPM, FAPWCA. A full panel presentation on "Where Is the Role for Hyperbarics?" and the "Annual Scientific Address" by Darlene McCord, PhD, FAPWCA, are among the sessions that are led by a group of key researchers and that will provide an opportunity to listen and ask questions to those doing the research reported in the literature. This is a unique opportunity to interact with those in the trenches of benchmark scientific research that deals with nonhealing wounds.

 

Preconference courses include a full panel on "ALL aspects of Pressure Ulcers" and breakout sessions with new techniques for "Bone Grafting." A postconference course on "The Business of Wound Care" also will be held. Another highlight of the program includes the APWCA awards ceremony, which will host well-known recording artist and Philadelphia native Patti LaBelle, who is receiving the APWCA's first Community Outreach Award. Ms LaBelle has put the same energy and enthusiasm that she puts into her musical career into educating the public about the risks of diabetes and the importance of early diagnosis and management.

 

APWCA2009 is sponsored by the APWCA and Temple University School of Medicine. The American College of Hyperbaric Medicine is a collaborating society and has moved the annual meeting of its membership to the APWCA2009 conference. Also collaborating with APWCA2009 will be Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. Affiliated societies and organizations include New Cardiovascular Horizons, VEITHsymposium, and iLegx Wound Conference/Biba Medical, the APWCA's European affiliate.

 

Early registration is encouraged as seating is limited, especially for several preconference offerings.

 

[black up pointing small triangle] Information:http://www.apwca.org; 215-364-4100 (phone).