From the Editor: A Tough Read for Some

  When it comes to the patients that we care for in our clinics, we do everything we can to be of service, and to make their road to healing as “painless” as possible, both literally and figuratively.

  We want to be responsible and good stewards of the healthcare dollars that are spent on the care that we provide, and at the same time be a source of revenue that will keep us viable. We interpret or receive interpretation of the appropriate method to bill and code for our services, constantly analyzing the local coverage determinations (LCD’s) for our payers. We help patients with every resource at our disposal, and we want to do what is good, and we want to do it right. But how can one ever be sure? They say ignorance is bliss, but in this business that we are in, ignorance is not only dangerous, it can be costly and will not be accepted as an excuse.

  For that reason, this issue of Today’s Wound Clinic may be a tough read. As an editorial board, we are not legal experts. We, like you, are providing care in an area that seems to change constantly, or at least annually. We are continuously struggling to keep up with it all. To that end, we consulted legal healthcare experts to address some of the big topics that we frequently get questioned on. The articles will undoubtedly stir up some discussion—and this is good. The articles are not all an easy read— this too is good. They need to be read more than once. However, we do feel that they will provide “stop and think” material that can help guide us as we make decisions, set up programs and evaluate the methods used in day-to-day clinic operations.

  It was great to see many of you at the launch of SAWC Fall in Washington, D.C. HMP Communications is reporting they had 686 attendees (not including exhibitors). Of those in attendance the largest percentage (27%) reported that they currently work in a wound care clinic.

  We also look forward to the final two issues of TWC in 2009, ending another busy year. We appreciate all of our readers. Please make sure that we are meeting your needs by providing us with feedback, ideas, and issues you would like to see addressed as we plan for 2010.

  And on a lighter side, are you on Facebook? My Space? LinkedIn? Twitter? Can these social/business networking sites provide value to the wound clinic? In our first Online Exclusive our HMP editors Jim Calder, Lauren Grant, and Mike McGovern give us some hints on the best ways to incorporate social networking into your wound care career and how to avoid some of the pitfalls. To view the article visit www.todayswoundclinic.com.

  As we start to prepare our editorial content for 2010, we have some exciting news that we would like to share. We have created a special team for subscribers of Today’s Wound Clinic. All paying subscribers to the journal will have the opportunity to join our new micro brand “The Wound Care Clinic Army”. Every paying subscriber will be sent an invite to join this private social networking site that we have set up for you. Our editors and authors will turn to this group first whenever we need someone to interview for an article or a clinic to profile. We will also use this platform, as an area to keep our VIP’s informed of special projects that we are working on.

  If you are getting this journal for the first time we welcome you as a new subscriber and look forward to growing with you.