The EWMA Patient Outcome Group (POG) is a group under EWMA Council and was created in 2008. Members of the group has a clinical scientific background, including both clinicians and representatives from companies working within wound healing.

The objectives of the group include topics such as structure of treatment as well as the quality of  traditional clinical trials and evidence in wound care. The group is concerned with the approval and reimbursement of wound care services including the regulation of patients access to wound care treatment.

In 2012-2013 the POG is working on a set of clinical study guidelines covering leg ulcers, diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers. 

Primary objectives of the group are to:

1. Identify barriers:
   • With a starting point in the current debate on evidence in wound healing and the Cochrane levels of evidence, the group will define the primary barriers (as experienced by clinicians and companies) related to creating and implementing evidence based guidelines in wound healing.
2. Propose guidelines for clinical data collection:
   • The objective will be to define how existing guidelines for clinical trials (e.g. RCTs or more “practical” studies (real life studies etc.)) can be adapted to wound management, e.g. by including other end points such as number of dressing changes, health economics, QOL, education of staff and structure of treatment.
3. Participate in the public debate / policy making:
   • The working group should present a common viewpoint on clinical trials of wound management products in relation to the debate on both national and European level. A primary goal will be to influence the decision making processes concerning approval and reimbursement of wound management products. EWMA will act as shareholder and work to influence the national agendas in order to put chronic wounds on the agenda.
   • A central European HTA unit is assumed to be established. The working group should approach involved institutions in order to present the work and conclusions of the group in relation to evidence in HTA of wound management products.
4. Create and implement consensus:
   • Other interested parties (clinicians, companies, reimbursement authorities, European collaborative groups and institutions) should be involved in order to create consensus within the area. A pan European consensus with a national implementation strategy has been proposed.

Members

Clinicians/Individual

Patricia Price (Chair)
Jan Apelqvist
Luc Gryson
Finn Gottrup
Robert Strohal
Matthias Augustin

Industry representatives from

ConvaTec
FlenPharma
Lohmann & Rauscher
Mölnlycke Health Care
Smith & Nephew

For more information about the EWMA Patient Outcome Group please contact EWMA Secretariat at ewma@ewma.org