"The mission of the American Professional Wound Care Association (APWCA) is to enhance the education involved in the treatment of all chronic wounds, including those that threaten preservation of the lower limb. This organization is dedicated to decreasing the rate of lower limb amputation, and decreasing the morbidity from other chronic wounds such as sacral decubiti. The treatment of the acute wound especially with how this may be related to chronic wounds is also an interest of the Association. The APWCA addresses this mission by providing high quality interactive and interdisciplinary medical education and by serving as an informational resource for the at risk patient as well as the lay public at large" (APWCA, 2006).

www.apwca.org

Baromedical Nurses Association

"The BNA provides nurses with a professional organization to maintain and promote the status and standards of practice in hyperbaric nursing. The BNA also is responsible for the certification of nurses in the field of hyperbaric medicine" (Everts, BNA President, 2006).

www.hyperbaricnurses.org

Diversified Clinical Services

"Diversified Clinical Services is a national wound care company focused exclusively on collaborating with hospitals to establish and manage comprehensive wound healing centers. A wound healing center can be a strategic asset for a hospital, offering evidence-based clinical quality, high levels of patient satisfaction, integrated service to inpatient populations and responsible and appropriate financial returns. Centers operate under the hospital's identity in conjunction with local physicians" (DCS, 2006).

www.diversifiedclinicalservices.com

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Association

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is the primary source of information for diving and hyperbaric medicine physiology worldwide. It was founded as the Undersea Medical Society in 1967 but in 1986 changed the name to Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. The name change reflects the rapidly growing interest in hyperbaric oxygen physiology and therapy. The UHMS's purpose is to provide scientific information to protect the health of sport, military and commercial divers and to improve the scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, promote sound treatment protocols and standards of practice and provide CME accreditation" (UHMS, 2006).

www.uhms.org