Wound Care Centers: Critical Thinking and Treatment Strategies for Wounds

Abstract

Many wound care centers (WCCs) provide a specialized level of care using various wound care therapies and are managed by quali ed healthcare professionals (QHPs) from di erent specialty backgrounds such as family medicine, podiatry, and plastic surgery. However, these QHPs are sometimes challenged by reimbursement issues, limited therapy and dressing options, reduced access to multidisciplinary team members, and cost-driven factors unique to WCCs. To help address these issues, a meeting was convened by an expert panel of WCC physicians to discuss best practices for treating complex patients in a WCC. This publication presents an overview of WCC chal- lenges, describes a holistic approach to treating WCC patients, and provides clinical guidance on the decision-mak- ing process for selecting optimal treatment plans for the WCC patient. Clinical cases of atypical, surgical and chronic wounds seen in a WCC are also presented.