Inside Acelity is an editorial which offers a look at some of the people within the
Acelity community and a peek inside the various facets of the organization.
In this edition of Inside Acelity , we interviewed Marisa Schmidt, who is a Scientist III working with the Acelity Advanced Wound Therapeutics business in the Open Innovation Group.
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How did you get your start with Acelity?
I started working as a temporary employee in our pre-clinical group, analyzing data, doing bio-chemical as says in the lab and providing assistance on our studies. The work in the lab was new and exciting and really made me feel like I was making a difference in our patients’ lives.
What is your favorite thing about working with Acelity?
It’s very gratifying to come to work every day, knowing the work I do helps people feel better. Over the years, many patients have shared their stories of how our company’s products have saved their lives or improved their quality of life. It’s such a blessing to be able to work for a company that can make such a profound impact on a person’s life.
How has R&D changed over the years?
Research and Development is very different from when I started. Initially, much of our research was focused on understanding how our current products affect wound healing and the healing process. Now, we have transitioned into looking more at innovative technologies to fit our customer’s needs.
Have you had any personal experience with the products over the course of your time with Acelity?
About 2 years ago in Floresville, TX,a relative who is diabetic was rushed by ambulance to a hospital in San Antonio with a life-threatening infection. It was diagnosed as Fournier’s gangrene, a type of necrotizing fasciitis occurring in the perineal area. Unfortunately, he lost quite a lot of tissue during multiple debridements. Afterward, the doctor told me my relative would need a V.A.C.®Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Unit and asked me if I knew what that was.Of course, I told him; I worked for KCI and was very familiar with our products.I was able to assist the staff with any technical questions and actually learned quite a bit myself from the wound care team. My relative had the V.A.C.®TherapyUnit for the next 2 months. We were told he was lucky to be alive with that level of infection, so we were very thankful for the wound care team as well as the therapy he received.
How do you see Acelity over the next 5 years?
It definitely feels like we are moving in a new direction. We are going to be doing things we have never done before. I feel like the synergy between the different companies (KCI, Systagenix, LifeCell) will help to drive innovation and create a wider breadth of options for clinicians. From an R&D side, there are going to be a lot of great ideas generated with the new portfolio options, and I’m excited for the future of Acelity.
References
For complete product details and safety information, please visit www.kcielabeling.com.
