Wound Care, the “Rodney Dangerfield” of Specialties – At Least Partly Due to the CTP Payment Methodology

Dr. Fife,

I have been following your posts about CTPs. I work in a city where most wound providers are not wound certified, they debride every wound they see, they can’t stage a pressure injury, they know very little if anything about the science behind the wound dressings they use, they prescribe antibiotics like candy, and they use CTPs without knowing ‘why’ other than that they are reimbursed. Diabetic foot ulcers are treated as money makers, without respect for the science of healing which more often than not leads to amputation without consequence to the practitioner, making my area of the country the amputation capital of the US!

I am completely heartbroken that my/our specialty remains the Rodney Dangerfield of specialties despite the fact that it so profoundly impacts patient quality of life as well as being a rich source for national/global financial abuse. As a mere NP I have very little power to make change, especially in the US.

[name redacted], NP

Dr. Fife,

There are many comments I can make and they would all be against industry who behave as they do, and clinicians who only ask ask, “How much can I make with this product?” They don’t ask me to tell them how well the product works, but how MUCH it will make them. Then they go on to tell me how much more I can make with product X. Chasing the almighty dollar will always come back to bite you.

Thank you for talking about this

[name withheld, CTP sales rep]

Dr. Fife,

About the CTP/skin sub issue, I will ask YOU and the rest of the clinicians in this country a question: Do you think that the [current CTP payment system] supports thoughtful patient care and the medically appropriate use of CTPs in the physician’s office?

[Anonymous]