AOCPMR 2024 Mid-Year Meeting-PM&R Aspects of Wound Care - Sandra K. Rosenberg, MD, FABPMR, Dipl.ASWMS

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The speaker shares her personal journey into wound care and peripheral vascular swelling, emphasizing the complexity and importance of this field. Despite limited early training, she became deeply involved after battling breast cancer and encountering swelling issues herself. Chronic wounds affect over 6.5 million Americans and incur vast healthcare costs—exceeding $50 billion annually—surpassing expenditures for breast cancer and heart failure. Common wound types include pressure injuries, arterial, venous, and diabetic ulcers, all carrying significant morbidity, recurrences, and impacts on quality of life.<br /><br />The speaker stresses the crucial role of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) specialists, given their expertise in team-based, holistic care addressing multifactorial causes including nutrition, mobility, and vascular status. However, wound care education remains sparse in medical training, with minimal dedicated hours in medical school and residency. Various wound care certifications exist, but only MD/DO-focused programs like the American Board of Wound Medicine and Surgery seek formal subspecialty recognition.<br /><br />She advocates for enhanced PM&R involvement in wound care through fellowships, multidisciplinary collaboration, and improved training to better diagnose and manage wounds and their underlying causes. Proper workup—including history, physical exam, and vascular testing like ankle-brachial indices—is essential. Ultimately, wounds require coordinated, comprehensive care, which physiatrists are uniquely qualified to lead, improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare burdens.

Keywords

Dr. Saj Servey

osteopathic manipulative medicine

idiopathic musculoskeletal back pain

Modified Thomas Test

supine HVLA technique

sacroiliac articulatory method

back pain management

Performing Arts Medicine Fellowship

wound care

peripheral vascular swelling

chronic wounds

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

PM&R training

wound care certifications

multidisciplinary collaboration

vascular testing

patient outcomes