New CCH Wound Clinic Offers Hope

Once Columbus Community Hospital opens the doors on the new Wound Clinic on August 11, patients with chronic wounds will have a much easier time of finding just the right mix of experts to help in the healing process.

The clinic is an outpatient service for those with any wound that lingers for four to six weeks without improvement, even with treatment. Held every Monday afternoon from 1 to 5 p.m. in the Same Day Services Department of the Hospital, the Wound Clinic is the first in our area. Each patient’s case will be medically managed by Dr. Ron Ernst and overseen clinically by hospital nurses who have received special training in wound care.

Those most likely to benefit from the Wound Clinic are those with common skin lesions such as venous leg ulcers, pressure ulcers (bed sores) and diabetic ulcers. Surgical wounds that fail to heal, or wounds that have necrotic tissue or affect a tendon, ligament, bone or joint would also be evaluated at the clinic.

The Wound Clinic will offer diagnostic services, treatment such as removal of unhealthy tissue; assessment of the cause of the wound; compression therapy; patient, family and caregiver education; special advanced treatment such as electrical stimulation, orthotics, non-contact casting; nutritional evaluation and recommendations; and diabetic evaluation and education.

Physical Therapy or Occupational Therapy may be called upon to help restore movement and circulation. The clinic will get the patient in touch with whatever service is needed.

“Chronic wounds are the leading cause of amputations among diabetics,” states Cindy Stuart, Clinical Coordinator for the clinic. “One of the clinic’s main goals is to decrease the number of amputations through early intervention and prevention strategies.”

Initially, patients must have a physician’s referral. Registration will take place through Rehabilitative Services at the hospital.. For more information about the Wound Clinic at Columbus Community Hospital, call 402-562-4620.

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