Caroline McIntosh and Karen Ousey Chapter 1 The Need for a Multiprofessional Approach in Wound Care 1.1 | Introduction Many different terms are used to describe collaborative working between health care professionals such as “interprofessional collaboration”, “multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary team working” and “multiprofessional collaboration” (Xyrichis and Lowton, 2007). The optimum treatment of lower extremity wounds depends on a multiprofessional collaborative approach that allows the related or underlying aetiology of the wound to be addressed, thus promoting wound healing and a positive outcome (Zgonis and Roukis, 2005). Standardized care provided by a specialist team has many advantages: a higher degree of continuity in treatment, increased patient satisfaction, greater potential for education and training and improved possibilities for basic and clinical research in healing and care (Gottrup, 2004). The concept of a multiprofessional approach is not new; Edmonds et al. (1986) reported the benefits of establishing a specialized multiprofessional clinic for patients with diabetic foot ulcers. Over three years, detailed analysis revealed a high rate of ulcer healing and a reduction in the number of major amputations which were attributed to the team approach. The team included podiatrists, orthotists, nurses, physicians and surgeons. A large number of published studies that evaluate the effect of a multiprofessional approach focus on diabetic foot ulcers; Boulton et al. (2005) reviewed the economic burden of diabetic foot ulcers and found that one COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL