(Fort Worth, TX) — As part of its ongoing commitment to the advancement of the wound care industry through innovation, technology and education, HEALTHPOINT, Ltd., a Texas-based market leader in tissue management, dermatology, and surgical products, has announced its initiative to establish a world-class clinical education department. This endeavor will further support the educational needs of wound care practitioners through a variety of comprehensive, research-based programs.

        For the past several years, HEALTHPOINT has been increasing and advancing its efforts to support the ongoing education of practitioners by creating and sponsoring a range of continuing education programs. HEALTHPOINT’s Clinical Education Department will act as a liaison between practice and industry, providing a library of educational offerings and programs in a variety of formats for the professional development of healthcare professionals and HEALTHPOINT sales representatives alike.

        “Staying up-to-date on the latest studies, research, and findings can be daunting, so we want to assist clinicians in bridging the gap between knowledge and practice,” said Kathleen L. Farley, MS, RN, who recently joined HEALTHPOINT as Director, Clinical Education for the Tissue Management Division. “It is through education that we all learn and become better resources for our patients — and, as always, improved performance outcomes remains the ultimate goal.”

        Currently, HEALTHPOINT is in the process of assessing the needs of its customers and sales representatives in an effort to better determine, understand, and respond to practitioners’ educational disparities.

        “We are surveying the clinicians who practice wound care in acute and extended care facilities across the country, in addition to our sales representatives who work on a daily basis with those clinicians,” said Ms. Farley. “The results will help us to create programs and offerings that will foster evidence-based wound care.”

        The significance of continuing education and up-to-date wound care therapies are perhaps more important now than ever, according to Ms. Farley.

        “Globally, the healthcare industry is experiencing the worst nursing shortage ever seen, with an estimated 126,000 vacant full-time positions currently available in the U.S. and one million positions expected to be vacant by the year 2010,” Ms. Farley continued. “This means that clinicians are faced with the daily challenge of providing more care with fewer resources. Therefore, it is crucial that clinicians who treat and care for patients with wounds strive to move away from time-consuming, outdated wound care therapies to more advanced, time-saving treatments.”

        Last year, the company provided 62 programs on “Innovations and Treatment Strategies in Wound Care,” from March through December. Over 2,450 RNs and 281 physicians attended, earning RNs 5,145 continuing educational hours and 281 hours for physicians.

        In addition, HEALTHPOINT added its first continuing education program for pharmacists and sponsored two CME-accredited educational satellite symposia at the Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) and one at the annual conference of the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN). The company also provided educational grants for two CME supplements to WOUNDS journal.

        “HEALTHPOINT’s efforts to expand its clinical education department is just one example of the company’s ongoing effort to support excellence in advanced wound care,” said Ms. Farley. “We strive to provide practitioners and their patients quality products, exceptional service, and comprehensive educational programs that exceed their expectations.”

        Since its inception in 1992, HEALTHPOINT has established a U.S. presence in the research, development, and marketing of branded pharmaceuticals, over the counter drugs, and medical devices for tissue management, dermatology, and surgical. An aggressive research and development effort has brought HEALTHPOINT’s unique technologies to the market, setting the pace for its highly trained field sales organization of direct sales representatives.

        HEALTHPOINT, with over 250 employees, is a DFB Pharmaceuticals, Inc. affiliate company. Visit HEALTHPOINT’s web site at www.healthpoint.com. HEALTHPOINT is based in Fort Worth, Texas. Also headquartered in Fort Worth, DFB provides technology-driven products, outsourcing services and licensing opportunities to the healthcare industry worldwide through its affiliate companies, contract partners, and branded marketing organizations.

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