Wound Care
With the help of advanced technologies and interventions, wound care physicians at Providence are dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds.
Wounds that do not heal quickly or appropriately often indicate more serious underlying medical issues such as diabetes, heart conditions or vascular problems. The wound care physicians at Providence specialize in finding those underlying causes that keep chronic wounds from healing.
You’re an important member of your wound care team. Your doctor, nurses and others will do their best to help your wound heal quickly and completely. However, they need you to take an active role in caring for your wound. Much of the success of your wound healing depends on your level of commitment and involvement.
Our wound care professionals work with you, your family, caregivers and primary care providers to coordinate care and develop an appropriate treatment program. Using this multidisciplinary approach, we're able to provide treatment and education to heal wounds and prevent them from recurring.
Our commitment to the care and treatment of wounds includes:
- Full diagnostic wound evaluation
- Individualized care plans
- Communication with referring physicians and primary care physicians to insure continuity of care
- Evidence-based practice, validated by research
- Referral to other medical, surgical or rehabilitation services as needed
Some of the chronic wounds treated by wound care specialists include:
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Venous stasis ulcers
- Arterial ulcers
- Ulcers secondary to immunologic disorders, including vasculitis, rheumatologic disease, inflammatory bowel disease, etc.
- Pressure ulcers
- Soft-tissue infections
- Post-acute burns
- Surgical wounds
You can do a number of things to help your wound heal faster and more completely. Your nurse may ask you to:
- Reduce the amount of pressure against your wound. You may need to use a special pad or a different surface to sit or sleep on.
- Wear shoes or special boots to prevent pressure on your feet.
- Avoid rubbing the wound across surfaces when you reposition yourself, such as when you turn over in bed.
- Elevate your legs and wear compression stockings.
- Drink plenty of fluids and eat healthy, proteins-rich foods.
- Quit smoking. Smoking causes blood vessels instantly to constrict. When blood vessels constrict, blood flow through your body slows down. Because blood carries the oxygen and nutrients your body needs to heal a wound, you want to increase, not decrease, your blood flow.
- If you have diabetes, it is very important to control your blood sugar. Wounds are unlikely to heal properly if blood sugar levels are too high.
Doctors Specializing in Wound Care
At Providence, you'll have access to a vast network of dedicated and compassionate providers who offer personalized care by focusing on treatment, prevention and health education.
