January 29, 2025 | Alisha Oropallo
9 min read
Wound Care 5 in ’25: Our Top Opportunities and Challenges
By Alisha Oropallo, MD, FACS, FSVS, FAPWCA, FABWMS, Director, Department of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Comprehensive Wound Healing Center and Hyperbarics, Northwell Health

From the launch of promising new therapies to the uncertainty of regulatory changes to emerging technologies, 2025 is poised to be a transformative year for wound care. With all that lies ahead, flexibility and adaptability will be key as our profession continues to change and evolve.
To help tackle the unpredictability, let’s explore five crucial areas to monitor in the coming year. Each presents challenges and opportunities for growth, innovation, and success.
1. Get Ready for Increased Activity in Wound Care R & D
Wound care has historically lagged behind other disciplines like oncology and cardiology in clinical innovation. However, 2025 could see an uptick in new developments due to a greater emphasis from regulators, payers, and providers on improving outcomes and proving therapeutic efficacy.
One area to watch is the development of topical agents for chemical debridement, finally addressing long-standing gaps in this domain. Bromelain, derived from pineapple, has shown great promise in dissolving slough and improving wound healing outcomes. Though approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), bromelain has yet to gain FDA approval for debridement. Studies on its efficacy continue to generate excitement, and its potential could mark a change in approach to chemical debridement.
Regenerative medicine is another area gaining traction. Advances in skin substitutes, stem cell therapies, and bioengineered tissues are creating personalized treatment plans that improve outcomes for diverse populations. Additionally, initiatives to address health equity are making strides. These efforts aim to ensure more equitable wound care for all patients, regardless of racial or ethnic background. One of the many areas to note is advancements in technologies that better identify chronic wounds in people with diverse skin tones, an endeavor created to provide more inclusive care to broader populations.
2. There Will Be a Renewed Focus on Best Practices
Best practices will take center stage as providers work to improve patient outcomes while navigating evolving regulatory requirements and reimbursement policies. Collaborative efforts exemplify this commitment, such as those by the Society of Vascular Surgery, American Venous Forum, Society of Vascular Nursing, and Wound Healing Society. Their proposed guidelines—addressing varicose veins, compression therapy, and other treatment strategies—demonstrate the importance of interdisciplinary cooperation.
Patient-Reported Outcomes (PROs) will significantly fuel these initiatives and others. Following the FDA’s approval of certain PRO measures under Medical Device Development Tool (MDDT) designation for wound care in 2024, wound care providers can now leverage technology to monitor and analyze real-time feedback from patients. PROs—which include feedback about pain levels, mobility, and overall quality of life during treatment—help create personalized care plans that address individual needs more effectively.
Technology’s role in real-time data collection, analysis, and reporting will be vital. Sophisticated devices and software that monitor wound healing progress, paired with patient input, will allow clinicians to adjust care plans dynamically. This shift to more patient-centered care will help ensure compliance with regulations and improve outcomes across the board.
3. We’ll Hear (and Do) More about Social Drivers of Health
Social Drivers of Health (SDOH) will increasingly influence wound care practices. In 2025, new government initiatives will aim to integrate SDOH data into electronic medical records (EMRs), enhancing the ability of clinicians to address the broader determinants of health. Data from depression screenings, for example, are now mandatory in EMRs, reflecting the growing understanding of the intersection between mental health and wound healing.
Additionally, community partnerships are being developed to address gaps in housing, food security, and transportation. These efforts are supported by tools like heat maps, which help identify high-risk populations and target interventions more effectively. Organizations such as Northwell Health are at the forefront of these initiatives, participating in programs like the NIH Diabetic Foot Consortium to standardize best practices and prioritize SDOH considerations.
By addressing these factors, providers can help reduce disparities in wound care outcomes, ensuring that patients receive comprehensive support that extends beyond clinical settings. Reporting and documentation of these efforts will be crucial for maintaining compliance and demonstrating the value of addressing SDOH in wound care.
4. Industry Advocates Will Become More Visible and Vocal
The challenges facing the wound care industry are driving greater advocacy and collaboration among providers. National organizations are restructuring to enhance stakeholder understanding of the impact of regulations and reimbursement policies on wound care services. These efforts are essential to ensuring that the voices of wound care providers are heard at the policy level.
Collaboration across these organizations will be key. By aligning resources and best practices, providers can more effectively address systemic challenges. Diversified partnerships—spanning professional associations, healthcare institutions, and community organizations—will foster innovation and create unified approaches to addressing industry challenges.
Whether through public awareness campaigns or direct engagement with legislative bodies, advocacy will remain a cornerstone of progress in wound care. Sharing compelling stories about the impact of their work can help providers engage with policymakers and the public, securing the support needed to advance the field.
5. Providers Will Push for More Patient-Centric Technology
There’s a growing recognition that providers and patients want more meaningful and personalized communication. No one wants a patient visit where the doctor must stare at a screen. Driven by frustrated providers’ wants and needs, technology focused on improving patient-provider communication and reducing administrative burdens will increase. Voice recognition tools promise to streamline clinical note-taking, enabling providers to dedicate more time to patient interactions. Meanwhile, AI-driven systems are enhancing documentation accuracy, particularly in charting and coding, ensuring providers can prioritize patient care over paperwork.
Challenges Can Create Opportunities
There are several other challenges the healthcare industry must confront, with reimbursement being the most pressing. While there is current uncertainty, potential changes to Cellular and Acellular Tissue Matrix (C/ATM) reimbursement by CMS highlight the complexities providers face. However, these challenges often bring opportunities. The recent CMS decisions to cover lymphedema products and compression therapy serve as a testament to the positive shifts that can occur.
The need for a research-driven approach across multiple fronts is more critical than ever. Increased interest in research within the industry aims to secure optimal reimbursement codes. The foundation of this effort lies in demonstrating the value and necessity of treatments, which is crucial for securing reimbursement codes and ensuring providers are fairly compensated for their time and service. As a result, there’s a growing focus on products backed by randomized control trials. This research-driven approach not only helps in navigating the reimbursement landscape but also in promoting the adoption of effective treatments.
Steps We Can Take
Yes, there are a lot of changes ahead. So how will we, as individual providers, and an industry, survive and thrive through the coming year? Here are concrete steps to consider.
Promote Patient-Centered Care
Treating patients as if treating oneself is more than an adage—it’s the foundation of effective wound care. In today’s healthcare environment, where there is much we can’t control, how we treat our patients is one thing we can. In Advances in Skin & Wound Care’s podcast, Words on Wounds, I recently shared some of the benefits of patient-centered care, including that it improves clinical outcomes by fostering trust, communication, and shared decision-making.
The insights came in part from an experience with a 93-year-old patient with venous insufficiency and several other comorbidities. She presented to our wound center with traumatic wounds on her left lower extremity after a slip and fall. Her primary care physician referred her to me due to poor wound healing. Soon after I began treatments, she showed significant improvement. Despite improving, I could tell she was still worried and anxious.
Though it was a busy day in the clinic, I thought about how I’d want myself or a loved one to be treated. Recognizing her anxiety, I held her hand, reassured her, and explained what her improved oxygen levels meant. I also tried to better understand the impact her specific drivers of health were having on her well-being. I connected her with appropriate resources, acknowledging that her mental health was as crucial as her physical healing. This approach highlighted the importance of considering the whole person, thereby improving patient satisfaction as well as recovery outcomes.
Streamline Referral and Follow-Up Systems
Ensuring efficient collaboration among inpatient and outpatient settings within a health system and community is essential to reducing morbidity and mortality. It’s also a smart strategy from a business perspective. Our goal should be to develop relationships with other physicians and specialists that lead to ongoing relationships with our patients and all their providers. Implementing streamlined referral systems improves care continuity and minimizes delays in treatment.
Educating primary care providers about the signs of chronic wounds can facilitate earlier interventions, preventing complications and reducing the overall burden on healthcare systems. Let specialists – from the orthopedist with a slow-healing surgical wound – to the cardiologist with a patient with a complex venous wound – know that you are a resource and ally. Become the kind of wound care facility other providers want to refer their patients to when needed.
Engage with Communities and Organizations
As a profession, it’s time we let others know more about who we are, and the vital role wound care plays in overall health. It’s hard to do it alone; joining your voice with others makes it a little easier. Active participation in national initiatives and local outreach efforts broadens the impact of wound care providers. By working with community organizations and participating in wound care societies, providers can address social drivers of health, build trust within communities, and extend the reach of their services.
Commit to Continuous Education
The fast-evolving nature of wound care demands a commitment to ongoing learning. Providers must stay informed about the latest guidelines, research findings, and technological advancements. Supporting colleagues and staff in maintaining their education ensures that entire teams are equipped to deliver high-quality, evidence-based care. Offering mentorship opportunities and encouraging knowledge-sharing further strengthens our entire industry.
Paving the Path to Progress
Without a doubt, it will be a busy year for those of us in wound care. I’m excited for what’s ahead. By embracing promising innovations, advocating for our profession, and fostering innovative partnerships, we can navigate challenges and create opportunities to improve patient and provider outcomes. Let’s make this year not simply better than the last but also a foundation for the future by staying engaged, informed, and adaptable. Together, we can significantly impact the lives of our patients and the field of wound care.
Ebook