Project Summary/Abstract Management of chronic wounds continues to be major a healthcare challenge in the U.S. and worldwide. A recent analysis supports that chronic nonhealing wounds affect nearly 15% of Medicare beneficiaries, or approximately 8.2 million people. The economic impact of chronic wounds is substantial. A conservative estimate of their annual cost in the U.S. for Medicare beneficiaries is $28 billion. It is critical to begin the dialogue between the payers and regulators with the wound care community to address these critical problems: 1.) Where are the gaps in the wound care research base? 2.) What clinical questions and kind of evidence needs to be produced to improve the clinical and cost effectiveness of wound care therapy? 3.) What interim clinical outcomes or endpoints would provide value to stakeholders in wound care clinical trial design? 4.) What role should “real world data” and “real world evidence” play in research and policy---research that is acceptable to regulators, clinicians and payers and is generalizable to typical chronic wound care patients? 5.) What changes in future approaches to wound care research will most likely add to its needed value? To explore and answer these and other key questions, the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders (“Alliance”) is convening the proposed Wound Care Evidence Summit. The Alliance is a nonprofit multidisciplinary association of clinical associations and patient advocacy organizations whose mission is to promote quality care and access to products and services for people with chronic wounds. It has enabled the wound care clinical community to collaboratively engage on issues of commonality, elevating the visibility and united voice of wound care providers to regulators and policy makers. The key focus areas are: wound care research, quality measures and reimbursement (coding, coverage and payment). This conference will provide a critically needed multi-disciplinary and unique platform for payers, policymakers from relevant government agencies, prominent researchers, representatives from patient and clinical associations, wound care clinics and manufacturers to address the shared goals of communicating with regulators and medical directors on the development of clinical trials and coverage policies, exploring the current state of wound care and wound care research, and discussing how clinical practice guidelines and research findings are being used by stakeholders. We are seeking better alignment in needed research approaches across all stakeholders. Rarely do researchers, clinicians and manufacturers have an opportunity to discuss and collaborate in person with policy makers on clinical trial issues. These dialogues are the first step in understanding each person’s point of view, leading to further collaboration in the future. This meeting will provide actionable knowledge for attendees and help them to prepare scientific evidence to best meet clinicians, regulators and payers’ r...