The Wound Institute(R) Launches Educational Course on Bacterial Biofilms

FORT WORTH, Texas, June 12 /PRNewswire/ -- The Wound Institute (TWI) today announced the launch of a new educational module "Exploring Biofilms," an accredited, online course designed to help practicing wound care specialists better understand the role that biofilms play in chronic wound infections.

"Bacterial biofilms are a structured community of bacterial cells, enclosed in a self-produced matrix, that provide a continuous source of inflammation which appears to prevent wounds from healing," explains Randall D. Wolcott, MD, CWS, Medical Director, Southwest Regional Wound Care Center (Lubbock, Texas), and faculty advisor and consultant to HEALTHPOINT. "As a result of their structured community, these microbes can overwhelm the body's defense mechanisms, causing stubborn infections that are extremely difficult to eradicate with conventional antimicrobial agents."

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimates that over 80% of microbial infections in the body are caused by bacteria growing in biofilms.(1) The paramount role that biofilms play in the treatment of chronic wound infections has only recently been discovered by bacteriologists. Accordingly, little research has yet evaluated the extent of biofilm formation in chronic wounds, although one study using molecular sequence analyses found that 30 of 50 (60%) of chronic venous ulcers contained biofilm, in contrast to 1 of 16 (6%) of acute wounds.(2)

The "Exploring Biofilms" course helps physicians understand the growth phases, colony defenses and synergy between the microbial flora in order to clinically manage biofilms. The course is approved for 1.0 unit AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)(TM) for physicians and is available at no cost to clinicians.

"We are pleased to support this important and timely course examining the hypothesis that chronic wounds may fail to heal because they have developed biofilms," commented Komel Grover, HEALTHPOINT's Director of Medical Education. "With the 'Exploring Biofilms' module, TWI continues to support its dedication to the wound care community with objective educational offerings that we hope will ultimately contribute to improved treatment strategies and better clinical outcomes."

About The Wound Institute(R)

Since its inception in 2005, The Wound Institute has become the industry leader for accredited, interactive and learner-centric continuing wound care education by serving as the conduit for over 80,000 accreditation certificates at no cost to its 44,000+ members. TWI features comprehensive, research-based courses that assist healthcare providers in bridging the gap between knowledge and practice. With its richly animated programs, TWI offers an interactive and innovative teaching style to its membership which consists of nurses, physicians, podiatrists, surgeons, physical therapists and nursing home administrators.

The educational offerings are disease-state based and designed to accommodate the preferences and workplace demands of healthcare professionals by allowing both physicians and non-physician clinicians to complete courses at their own pace. Users simply log on to the site, register, select the desired course, pass the qualifying test and receive CE or CME hours instantly for their course work.* Made possible by the support of HEALTHPOINT, TWI is in its fifth year as a provider of objective, accredited, education modules providing case-based problem solving and continuing education for the wound care medical community. To access any of the modules, register for access at www.TheWoundInstitute.com.

About HEALTHPOINT, Ltd.

Since 1992, HEALTHPOINT has been dedicated to innovative technologies for the prevention and treatment of acute, chronic and burn-related wounds. The company is presently focused on the research and development of novel biologics and pharmaceuticals intended to improve clinical and quality of life outcomes. Currently marketed products include: Collagenase SANTYL(R) Ointment, OASIS(R) Wound Matrix, HYDROFERA BLUE(R) Bacteriostatic Wound Dressings, SURGICEPT(R) Waterless Surgical Hand Antiseptic, ULTRACEPT(R) Healthcare Personnel Handwash and OutLast(TM) Long-Lasting Hand Sanitizer. HEALTHPOINT is also committed to advancing the care and treatment of wounds through support of industry leading continuing education from THE WOUND INSTITUTE(R). To learn more about this comprehensive and award winning educational resource, please visit TheWoundInstitute.com(R). HEALTHPOINT is a DFB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. affiliate company, and is based in Fort Worth, Texas. For more information, visit the HEALTHPOINT website at www.healthpoint.com.

References

1. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/pa-files/PA-07-288.html

2. James GA, Swogger E, Wolcott R, et al. Biofilms in chronic wounds. Wound Repair Regen. 2008;16:37-44

    OASIS is a registered trademark of Cook Biotech, Inc.

    HYDROFERA BLUE is a registered trademark of Hydrofera, LLC.

HEALTHPOINT and design, SANTYL, SURGICEPT, ULTRACEPT, THE WOUND INSTITUTE and THEWOUNDINSTITUTE.COM are registered trademarks of HEALTHPOINT, Ltd.

OUTLAST is a trademark of HEALTHPOINT, Ltd.

*For courses that carry the CE/CME designation, accreditation is available through The Wound Institute(R) or via a third-party host.

SOURCE HEALTHPOINT, Ltd.