Building a Multidisciplinary Hospital-Based Wound Care Center: Nuts and Bolts

BACKGROUND: A hospital-based wound care center provides an important platform for the multidisciplinary approach to wound care. The colocation of specialists is an ideal working environment for the efficient delivery of quality care of the complex wound through daily communication and shared resources. METHODS: We describe the critical components necessary in building a hospital-based wound care center. Furthermore, the experience at the authors' institution in developing the multidisciplinary approach is discussed. RESULTS: Readily available ancillary services, specially trained personnel, continuum of care from the outpatient clinic to admission to surgery, and inpatient and outpatient post operative care all contribute to a process that is especially amenable to the care of the complex wound. CONCLUSIONS: The final goal is to return the patient to the best quality of life achievable given his or her wound or disability. The aim of this study is to present the authors' experiences and provide insight for others who may want to build this model within their institutions.