Chippewa Falls (Press Release) - St. Joseph's Hospital, Chippewa Falls, today announced plans to install two wound care hyperbaric chambers at the hospital this Fall in an agreement with Diversified Clinical Services, the nation's largest wound care treatment and management service. This service, provided exclusively with St. Joseph's Hospital, will expand wound care services already in place at the hospital and serve the west central Wisconsin region. In addition, a new wound treatment area is being designed with construction to be completed by the end of the year, funding made possible with support from the Friends of St. Joseph's Hospital.
When completed, St. Joseph's Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine will bring hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment to the region. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the medical use of oxygen at pressures greater than that of the atmosphere which promotes wound healing by infusing tissue with high levels of oxygen for the purpose of healing, saving limbs and lives.
"We are pleased to be adding in the near future hyperbaric medicine to our current wound care treatment program," said Chris Klay, Director of Rehabilitation Services at St. Joseph's Hospital. "We will also be providing a physician-based clinical model for the treatment and healing of wounds. This model of care along with advanced technology will bring the already successful wound care program at St. Joseph's Hospital to the next level of quality treatment and positive outcomes."
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than six million Americans suffer from chronic wounds. St. Joseph's Hospital developed a much-needed wound care treatment program 15 years ago and has since cared for more than 4,000 wound care patients. The partnership with DCS will provide even more advanced specialized wound treatment services and hyperbaric medicine to patients from throughout this part of Wisconsin. DCS has experience managing more than 300 wound care treatment programs across the United States.
"Diversified Clinical Services is a national leader in wound care treatment services providing experience and knowledge gained from working with other hospitals across the country," explained Skip Gjolberg, Assistant Administrator at St. Joseph's Hospital. "DCS brings that national expertise and the latest clinical practice guidelines to our current program at St. Joseph's. We also benefit from the experience in wound treatment already offered by Infinity HealthCare physicians who staff the hospital's Emergency Services Area."
The DCS physician-based, multi-disciplinary model of wound care treatment at St. Joseph's Hospital will include physicians specially trained in wound care supported by a team of therapists, nurses and hyperbaric technicians. The result will be the most comprehensive wound care treatment service in this part of the state providing diagnostics to determine the underlying cause of chronic wounds often experienced by diabetics or caused by vascular disorders and hard-to-heal pressure ulcers caused by immobility.
"Hard-to-heal wounds threaten loss of employment, possible amputation and cause great pain," said Frank Boutiette, registered physical therapist and wound care specialist at St. Joseph's. "Our many years of experience in treating wounds combined with the national expertise DCS offers and the introduction of hyperbaric medicine will greatly enhance and expand the services wound care patients can expect from St. Joseph's Hospital."
Patients in need of wound care services are accepted by St. Joseph's Hospital from all physician providers, call 717-7455 for more information about current wound care services and referrals.
