ABA News & Vision from the CEO’s Desk | September 2025

Dear ABA Members,

As we enter the fall season, the American Burn Association is stepping into an exciting new chapter. Our 2026–2028 Strategic Plan, anchored in the pillars of Education, Quality, Research, Prevention, and Governance & Leadership, is taking shape. Each of you plays a vital role, and I want to share how recent and upcoming milestones reflect our collective progress.

Education

ABA’s commitment to education is front and center with the upcoming Burn Surgeon Forum (BSF) in Chicago. With 89 participants, 27 expert speakers, and 20 sponsoring industry partners, this inaugural gathering will strengthen surgeon leadership, invest in workforce development, advance burn research, and foster collaboration. My deepest gratitude to our co-directors, faculty, and industry sponsors for their partnership in this important venture.

Our Advanced Burn Life Support^®(ABLS) program remains a cornerstone of burn education, with more than 3,200 completions so far in 2025 and a growing instructor network of more than 680 dedicated professionals.  ABLS exemplifies ABA’s role in preparing the medical community to save lives when it matters most.

Quality

In August, the Certified Burn Registered Nurse (CBRN) certification program was granted Accreditation Board for Specialty Nursing Certification (ABSNC) accreditation and is now Magnet-accepted , one of the highest recognitions of nursing excellence. This honor highlights the dedication of ABA, the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN), and our community’s leadership in advancing quality burn care and improving outcomes for patients and their families.

Recent events remind us why burn care expertise is critical in every scenario, from accidents to disasters to intentional harm. Read more about this in my supplemental note, Burn Care’s Relevance Across All Scenarios.

Research

ABA continues to advance research and innovation through federal funding opportunities, industry-supported projects, and our partnership with BData to strengthen technology and registry capacity. We are proud to see this research reflected in the Journal of Burn Care & Research (JBCR), which publishes groundbreaking studies that elevate the visibility of our field and advance burn care science. I encourage you to both read and submit to JBCR , our community’s leading scientific voice.

ABA also champions innovation through coding and reimbursement advocacy. On August 27, the Economics Committee hosted a Coding Education Webinar covering the Medicare Proposed Rules, proposed CPT code changes, and the public comment process. If you missed this webinar, it’s available on ABA’s learning management system portal . The Committee is committed to supporting innovative burn practices and ensuring they are sustained through fair and appropriate reimbursement.

Prevention

Later this fall, burn care will take the national spotlight with the release of the film “Soul on Fire” on October 10, 2025 (Movie Insider ). Based on the inspiring story of burn survivor John O’Leary, the movie will raise public awareness about burn injuries, recovery, and the resilience of survivors. ABA is proud to see the burn care story shared more widely, reinforcing our prevention and advocacy efforts.

Governance & Leadership

ABA continues to strengthen its infrastructure to serve you better. Our new website is nearing completion, with launch anticipated in October. Its centerpiece, the Burn Center Resource Hub, will provide updated information on all burn centers, feature ABA-verified centers prominently, and list verified fellowship programs, with the eventual goal of listing all burn fellowships. More than a directory, this hub will serve as a lifeline for collaboration, leadership, and preparedness, enhancing ABA’s role as a convener, and it will become a critical communication tool in mass casualty scenarios.

Later this month, I’m attending the 2025 Midwest Regional Burn Conference  (September 24–26, Madison, WI), hosted by UW–Madison. This three-day program includes a Rehabilitation Track for PT/OT and a half-day pre-conference ABLS Instructor Course. Sessions will cover advanced dressings, biologic therapies, innovations in resuscitation, surgical techniques, infection control, pain management, rehabilitation, clinical trials, and ethical care considerations, designed for physicians, nurses, physician assistants, therapists, and other healthcare professionals involved in burn care. The event presents an exceptional opportunity to connect with colleagues and shape the conversations that will guide the future of our field.

Looking ahead, please save the date for the 2026 ABA Annual Meeting in Orlando, scheduled for April 14–17, with the theme “Leading Burn Care into Tomorrow.” Abstract submissions are open through October 1. I encourage you to share your research and insights at this important gathering.

Each of these milestones, Burn Surgeon Forum, ABLS modernization, Magnet recognition, reimbursement advocacy, the new website, the Midwest Regional Burn Conference, and the upcoming film, demonstrates how ABA is living its five pillars and advancing our mission. Together, we are not only responding to today’s challenges but shaping the future of burn care for generations to come.

With deep appreciation,
Ed Dellert

Ed Dellert, RN, MBA, CAE
Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
American Burn Association

Stay connected. Stay inspired. Burn care is on the rise—and so are we.