Physician wound certification: a much-needed reality too long denied

Area of Science:

• Medical Subspecialties
• Physician Practice Management

Background:

• A significant number of physicians (>13,000) practice wound care.
• This field lacks a dedicated medical board for certifying quality and scope of practice.
• Physicians in wound care currently lack a nurturing 'home' for their discipline.

Purpose of the Study:

• To advocate for the establishment of a formal subspecialty in wound care.
• To address the need for recognized standards and best practices in wound care delivery.
• To explore the challenges and propose solutions for creating a wound care subspecialty.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the current state of wound care physician practice.
• Discussion of the challenges in establishing a new medical subspecialty.
• Exploration of potential solutions to jurisdictional and financial concerns.

Main Results:

• There are over 13,000 physicians practicing wound care without formal subspecialty certification.
• The absence of a certifying board raises concerns about consistent quality and scope of practice.
• Establishing a subspecialty is feasible despite challenges like overlapping jurisdictions.

Conclusions:

• A formal subspecialty in wound care is necessary to ensure quality and advance the discipline.
• Addressing challenges related to other medical boards and certification costs is crucial.
• Immediate action is recommended to establish the wound care subspecialty.