Last fall, our journey into the heart of the clinical wound care community took an important step at the SAWC Fall meeting in Las Vegas. We arrived at the event as attendees, not exhibitors, joining sessions and meeting clinicians to introduce ViaDerma and VitaStem where appropriate. That experience made it clear that we needed to step off the sidelines and show up as an exhibitor to truly engage with this professional community.

This realization set the stage for our participation in the SAWC Spring meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Building Our Presence in Charlotte

Preparation for Charlotte required building our booth presence from the ground up, including banners, displays, brochures, and sample planning. Carl arrived on the 7th to coordinate logistics with Freeman and oversee the technical setup, including electrical support and furniture logistics. Dr. Otiko joined the team the following day to finalize preparations before the show floor opened.

With a prime booth location near a food station, foot traffic was steady, so were the conversations. The conference started strong and by the end of Saturday over 175 attendees visited the ViaDerma booth and received VitaStem samples!

Deepening Clinical Connections

Dr Otiko's presence at the booth was invaluable in deepening these interactions. As clinicians asked technical questions, he was able to speak directly to the science and clinical relevance of VitaStem, moving the conversation beyond the introductory level.

Throughout the conference, we focused on high-value connections:

Kaiser Outreach: Michael continued building outreach to Kaiser, including productive discussions with two nurses from California who can serve as internal advocates within their organisations.

Strategic Partnerships: We held a promising conversation with a company specializing in a unique blood-based skin graft product. There is a compelling opportunity for VitaStem to support wound healing in the waiting period before their graft is applied, leading to potential partnership discussions.

Repeat Engagement: While Saturday saw fewer visitors, the conversations were more strategic. We noted a pattern of people leaving after an initial presentation and returning with colleagues to take a closer look at our solutions.

Momentum and Advocacy

The momentum from the booth extended into the broader wound care leadership community. During the conference, Dr.Otiko and Michael were invited to participate in the Wound Care Collaborative Community (WCCC), an FDA-recognized group focused on advancing innovation and product safety. This invitation was bolstered by a connection with the organization’s president, Dr. Vicky Driver, who knew Dr. Otiko from medical school.

Additionally, ViaDerma was invited to join the Alliance of Wound Care Stakeholders, a group active in legislative and regulatory advocacy, specifically regarding patient access and Medicare guidelines. These invitations have significantly increased our visibility among wound care policy leaders.

Looking Ahead: The NCCHC and Correctional Care

As we look forward, our next major opportunity is the NCCHC (National Commission on Correctional Healthcare) in October. This event reaches physicians wound care nurses working in correctional settings—an audience highly focused on cost-saving solutions. VitaStem stands out in this context as a product that can support treatment within a facility, potentially reducing the logistical burden and high costs associated with repeated hospital transport for incarcerated patients.

Overall, SAWC Spring gave us visibility, meaningful new relationships, and the momentum needed to expand our presence across the wound care space.

Are you ready to see how VitaStem is moving from the lab to the front lines of clinical care?

Which clinical environment in your network currently faces the highest logistical or cost-based hurdles for effective wound treatment?