Wound Healing Center
Healing Wounds, Improving Lives
 Everyone
has heard that time heals all wounds. The truth is that
without advanced therapies, some wounds can take years
and even decades to heal while others may never heal.
Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center now offers
state-of-the-art specialized wound healing care through
its Wound Healing Center.
The Wound Healing Center is located on First Floor
North at the Medical Center. This specialized care center
is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30
p.m.
At the Wound Healing Center, you’ll receive the
right treatment to heal your wound. Services are provided
on an outpatient basis and include:
- wound debridement
- wound dressings, and
- vacuum-assisted closure
The Wound Healing Center features the area’s only
hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which is a relatively new,
rapidly emerging treatment that aids in the healing
process. It works by surrounding the patient with 100
percent oxygen at higher than normal atmospheric pressure.
This increases the amount of oxygen in the patient’s
blood and, in the case of wounds, allows red blood cells
to pass more easily through the plasma into the wound
to heal it from the inside out. Soft tissue radiation damage is an excellent example of wounds that may benefit from this type of treatment.
If you require hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you will
relax on a bed encased within a large see-through plastic
shell. During your therapy, you can watch movies on
televisions mounted above the chamber while hearing
the movies and conversing with others outside the chamber
through a speaker system. The only physical sensation
resulting from the treatment is a slight pressure on
the eardrum, such as that felt when a plane lands, as
the air in the chamber is compressed.
Common Types of Chronic Wounds
You may benefit from the services of our Wound Healing
Center if you have any of the following:
- Diabetic Ulcers - These are the most common of
non-healing wounds. It’s very common for individuals
with diabetes to lose feeling in their feet, putting
them at risk of injury.
- Pressure Ulcers - Also known as bedsores, pressure
ulcers develop when skin is squeezed between a bone
and another surface such as a bed or wheelchair. They
are common in people who have difficulty walking and
individuals who are bedridden or wheelchair-bound.
- Venous Stasis Ulcers - These occur in the lower
leg between the ankle and the knee and are caused
by poor circulation.
- Other Conditions - Other conditions that may prompt
you to consider treatment at our Wound Healing Center
are infections, compromised skin grafts and flaps
and wounds that haven’t healed within 30 days.
Specialists working together for you
Our Center is staffed with a unique team of doctors,
nurses and therapists who are dedicated to healing chronic
wounds. They are skilled in the latest therapeutic methods
in wound management and stay abreast of cutting-edge
information through continuous training. They partner
with your primary care physician to develop a total
approach to treatment and care. The following physicians
will be providing wound care at our Center:
Insurance Coverage
Most treatments provided at our Center are covered by
Medicare and Medicaid, HMOs and other private insurance
plans. While you may seek treatment on your own, we
prefer that patients be referred for services by their
primary care physician.
About Our Center
Our Center is a partnership between Ephraim McDowell
Regional Medical Center and National Healing Corporation,
a Florida-based company that manages wound healing centers
nationwide with an average healing rate of 84 percent
achieved in 12 to 16 weeks of therapy. That’s your
assurance that our services can heal your wound and
improve your life.
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