Another important aspect is assessment of healing using non-invasive techniques. This would be the state of the tissue (vascular and oxygen supply), the most likely prognosis based on this state, and the rate of healing. Currently, clinical tissue state for burn and pressure ulcer patients is assessed by measuring a healing rate, a tissue health (blood flow), and a tissue function (stiffness).

Currently a Wound Healing clinic has been set up at UAB to help centralize wound care. This is a multidisciplinary clinic that ultimately could turn into a Wound Care Service (WCS) that could provide service for both in-patients and out-patients with chronic wounds. As the WCS matures it will expand to interact with other UAB services and clinics dealing with chronic wounds.

• Investigators:
  BME -- A. Eberhardt
  Burn Center -- A. Dimick, D. Smith,
  Rehabilitation Medicine -- A. Oberheu
  Vascular Surgery -- D. Wirthlin
  Plastic Surgery -- L. Vasconez and J. De la Torre
• Students: T. Barker, B. Blum, and R. Redden