Thomas Serena

by Thomas E. Serena, MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

by Thomas E. Serena, MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

"This is my brother Darryl and this is my other brother Darryl."
—Bob Newhart show

by Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

In the words of Ben Franklin, “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” The specialty of wound care and hyperbaric medicine faces a never-ending attack from payers and regulators. Our current state of partition leaves us voiceless and defenseless. We must band together and be counted.

By Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

A recent article by Kaiser Health News misquoted me as saying that we enroll only "healthy" patients in our clinical trials. At moments like this, one feels that something has been overlooked. One of my research coordinators, recalling the serious adverse events (SAEs) of the previous week said, "The only patients sicker than ours are underground."

By Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

Wound care Facebook friends from across the globe posted reports of their experiences at the Spring Symposium on Advanced Wound Care (SAWC) meeting in San Diego. Social media pronounced the meeting a huge success in hundreds of selfies, videos, and shots of the stage and the Gas Lamp district. In this month’s blog, I share my personal take on the nation’s largest wound care conference.

by Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

In 1950, J. Edgar Hoover published the first edition of the FBI’s most wanted list. Since that time, no less than 512 fugitives have been featured. Many surrendered after learning that their mug shots were hanging on every post office wall in the country. In medicine, we have an equally infamous public posting: The Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) work list. In 2017, it turns out that hyperbaric medicine services are "public enemy number one." But please, do not surrender just yet.

by Thomas E. Serena, MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

"Oh, keep the dog far hence that's friend to man."
-T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land

by Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

"I believe we possess all the resources and talents necessary. But the facts of the matter are that we have never made the national decisions or marshaled the national resources required for such leadership."
-John F. Kennedy May 25, 1961

by Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA

"Please don't bury me down in that cold, cold ground. I'd rather have them cut me up and pass me all around"
-John Prine

by Thomas E. Serena MD, FACS, FACHM, FAPWCA