Ostomy surgery is life altering/body altering but is also life saving. Finding a healthcare professional with specific training in ostomy care is crucial for successful patient outcomes. Resources are also available for healthcare professionals who have not had specialized training in ostomy care or who are in need of more information.
In order to achieve a desirable quality of life, a person undergoing ostomy or continent diversion surgery must have support and access to high-quality care in all healthcare settings throughout the continuum of their care. Ideally counseling and care should be provided by a trained medical professional such as a Certified Wound Ostomy Continence Nurse (WOCN), Ostomy Nurse, Ostomy Care Associate (OCA), or Ostomy Management Specialist (OMS).
Certified Ostomy Nurse Locators:
Find in your local area a Wound, Ostomy and Continence (WOC) Nurse or an Ostomy Management Specialist (OMS).
Find an OMS
Note: After selecting a state in the Find an OMS form, type OMS in the Search box.
WOCN Patient Resource Center
A list of many useful resources compiled by the Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nurses Society (WOCN):
Telemedicine services:
Telemedicine ostomy services help patients receive remote care and are now offered across the country. Living in rural areas, in need of immediate consultation, those who are homebound or far away from outpatient ostomy clinics and certified ostomy nurses shouldn’t prevent ostomy patients from receiving care.
Manufacturer/Supplier services:
In addition, many manufacturers and suppliers offer personalized ostomy assistance services for both patients and healthcare professionals that can include ostomy nurse clinical support, product support assistance, educational tools and more.
Please note: UOAA does not endorse particular products, manufacturers, or suppliers, and is not responsible for any content expressed in their websites.
Contact Us
United Ostomy Associations of America
P.O. Box 2293
Biddeford, ME 04005-2293
Call us toll-free at: 1-800-826-0826.
Our Information Line hours are Monday-Friday, 9am to 3pm EST. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 or contact your local medical professional.
Please understand that UOAA is a private, nonprofit, advocacy and informational organization. We are not a medical facility and we do not have medical or legal professionals on staff. Therefore, UOAA does not provide Medical, Mental Health, Insurance or Legal Advice.
Get Involved
UOAA is the leading organization proactively advocating on behalf of the ostomy community. Recognizing that we are always stronger together, we encourage everyone to get involved by joining our Advocacy Network. We’ve also created several Advocacy Tools and Resources to help you successfully advocate on behalf of the ostomy community to ensure every ostomate receives quality care.
Latest News:
- Lori’s story: Living with Crohn’s Disease, Ostomy, and Short Bowel SyndromeNovember 14, 2023 - 2:31 pm
- AN OSTOMY ARMY STORYNovember 8, 2023 - 10:08 am
- OPEN ENROLLMENT – YOUR CHOICES ARE IMPORTANT!October 18, 2023 - 2:45 pm
- Convatec is proud to be the Exclusive Diamond Sponsor of the 2023 UOAA Run for ResilienceSeptember 27, 2023 - 9:42 am
- Resilience Story: Chris SeylerSeptember 21, 2023 - 10:47 am

UOAA does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations.