CAWC Poster re-edit

I have gone back to update the poster Demystifying Ankle Brachial Pressure Index with the use of a blog

It is funny to re-edit something written in 2009 in respect of how blogging and micro-blogging have exploded and how our collective understanding and acceptance has evolved.

Manuscript

I have a couple of weeks off work and so have dug back into the draft manuscript to edit it and submit to Wound Care Canada. Wish me luck

Wound Diagnostics Masterclass 2010, UK

Wounds International hosted a Wound Diagnostics masterclass chaired by Keith Harding and Douglas Queen, in Manchester UK on June 30. Dr Jon Evans presented on vascular assessment methodologies. He has authored 11 papers and presented 22 papers at conferences on new techniques in vascular assessment. Here follows his abstract:
"Under the current UK and European wound care guidelines, the measurement of ABI is seen as an essential part of leg ulcer assessment prior t the applying compression bandaging. The ABI technique is the most effective, accurate and practical method for detecting the presence of arterial disease in an ulcerated limb.
If the patient has calcified arteries then the ABI can provide false readings. In these cases, undertaking toe pressures and TBPI is now becoming the most popular and practical alternative measurement technique. The recording of Doppler waveforms also provides additional information to confirm the clinical findings and ABI results.
The measurement of ABI and TBPI only provides information about the presence of arterial insufficiency to allow treatment of a venous ulcer, and does not provide information on the presence of true venous disease
Various guidelines and recommendations now suggest that a venous assessment should be performed if the ulcer is recurrent or non-healing. This assessment can take the form of photoplethysmography, Doppler or full Duplex ultrasound scans, depending on availability of equipment and resources. The two former techniques can be performed in a primary care setting providing information about the location and severity of the venous disease. This helps the clinician in choosing the appropriate treatment options.
Clinical pathways should now include the assessment of arterial and venous insufficiency as part of a holistic approach to leg ulcer assessment."

Bending the Healthcare Cost Curve

This is a departure from discussion relating only to ABIs for lower limb assessment. I have read two publications in recent weeks discussing the potential challenges and risks of Ontario's booming healthcare spending. The first published in April by OHA, OLTCA, identifies strategies to contain the cost of healthcare in Ontario. It is valuable to see in writing what the industry has seen and been advocating for years, that a small percentage of people account for the majority of services and healthcare dollars and long term thinking on prevention and targeting is cost effective. It also provides a valuable insight into the language of healthcare decision makers, health economists and government. The second document published in May is Charting a Path to Sustainable Health Care in Ontario. It is a TD Economics Special Report (May 27, 2010) and includes their recommended 10 strategies to manage the projection that at current growth rates of 6.5%, healthcare would consume 80% of Provincial funding by 2030. I recommend reading both.

e-posters at Building Bridges III

My poster was accepted and presented at the Building Bridges III conference at the White Oaks, Niagara in April. Fanatastic venue as always. The Buidling Bridges conferences have not accepted posters before, and while there were only five it is an important communication vehicle to share best practice. The posters were displayed on 3 LCD TV screens and not in the usual print format. This was to be kinder to the environment. However, placing a 8' x 4' poster on an LCD screen makes it very difficult to read. My recommendation for the future is to limit to say 800-1000 words and use tables, graphs and phtographs to make it much more legible to be viewed on screen. The posters rotated every 5 minutes giving conference delegates long enough to read them.

Building Bridges III, Niagara Wound care Conference April 2010

I have submitted my abstract to the Building Bridges III conferences run by St Micheal's Hospital Wound Care Team. Posters will be displayed electronically to be environmentally conscious on LCD TVs. I am waiting to hear if it has been accepted.

CAWC Quebec City 2009 poster #329

Here is the link to the poster I presented at the CAWC conference.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/22699562/Lower-Limb-Assessment-Poster-CAWC