Dear Members and Colleagues,
I am happy to report on the state of the Wound Healing Society (WHS) as I assume the responsibilities of president. Overall, the WHS is on solid footing and is steadily growing in stature and membership. This month our 2009 members surpassed 600! Over the years, as with any fledgling group ours has had its struggles, challenges and set backs as well as its high points; but through the diligence and skillful attention of many dedicated leaders, problems were solved, corrections were made and the WHS has continued to uphold its mission to advance the science and practice of wound healing. During this time, the annual meeting has become established as a forum for the exchange of the latest and greatest in wound healing research. Wound Repair and Regeneration was launched to provide a peer-reviewed journal dedicated to publishing leading research in wound healing and tissue repair from around the world. The cross-communication among our members from the clinical, research and commercial arenas led to the Wound Care Guidelines project, developed to fill a need for current, comprehensive and balanced presentation of the best standards of practice for the care and prevention of complex wounds.
Now in its 21st year, the WHS has grown up to become an established and recognized entity with a strong sense of who we are and great hopes for what we can achieve. Our administrative operations are on an even keel under the watchful guidance of our management company Crow Segal Mgt. Our financial position is healthy. The income from the journal (secured through a long-term contract with our publisher Wiley-Blackwell) and from the annual meeting (secured through our association with the Symposium for Advanced Wound Care) affords us the opportunity to look to the future and ask ourselves, what new initiatives and projects should we take on.
Some projects that are in the works this year include, of course, planning the scientific program for our 2010 annual meeting. This is well underway so stay tuned for the call for abstracts and program announcement coming soon. In this time of growing reliance on electronic communication, our website will soon be undergoing a major renovation for improved access to information and better interactive capabilities for online educational programs. In addition there is a new project that will launch next year—Advances in Wound Care is an annual yearbook, a compilation of the latest developments and advances in the field that will serve as a comprehensive, authoritative reference for both new and seasoned wound care specialists. Over 300 authors and 150 reviewers have contributed to the project this year. The premiere issue will be available in time for the 2010 annual meeting with a discount for WHS members. Proceeds from sales will benefit the society.
This year we are exploring ways to better serve the membership and to champion the critical need for well-informed wound management as a fundamental part of providing the best health care—not only through advanced research and evidence-based practice, but also through communicating with government agencies and health care reimbursement groups. One important means to do this is through our working committees, who not only help to maintain and promote ongoing activities to foster education, research and advocacy, but also bring fresh ideas to the table.
At our Strategic Planning Meeting this fall, the Board of Directors, Committee Chairs and other participants will focus on many of these timely and important issues and will develop a plan for how best to direct our efforts and resources in the next few years. We welcome your input into this process through sharing of your thoughts and ideas. Send them to me by the end of October and they will be considered in our deliberations.
I appreciate the diversity, dedication, intellect and insightfulness of our society members and am truly honored to be representing the WHS. But I recognize that I need the help of many to promote our mission and to effectively reach out to the wide array of specialists concerned with wound healing. I’m fortunate to have an active Board of Directors and Society Officers with a broad range of expertise and experience, as well as energetic and hard working committees. As a whole I believe we really are greater than the sum of our parts.
I look forward to a busy presidential year culminating in a great 2010 annual meeting, where I hope to see many of you and report on our latest endeavors.
With warm regards,
Patricia A. Hebda, PhD
President
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