PCH/FMC Wound Care Center Commemorates 10 Years

The Wound Care Center at Paris Community Hospital reaches a major milestone this year, as it commemorates 10 years of providing wound care services to residents of the Wabash Valley.

The wound center became the first of its kind in the Wabash Valley when it opened in Paris September 5, 2006. The center treats many types of chronic sores and wounds, including burns, pressure ulcers, spider bites, diabetic ulcers, as well as infections.

Dr. Philip Holloway, podiatrist, identified the need for a wound center at PCH after witnessing a surge in non-healing wounds among diabetic patients at his practice. Dr. Holloway is certified by the American Academy of Wound Management as a wound specialist and serves as the wound center’s medical director.

“A large part of my practice continues to be diabetic wounds,” said Dr. Holloway. “While the incidence of diabetes in our community continues to grow, wound care has also evolved, giving patients access to more advanced and effective treatments.”

Leslie Brown, RN, BSN, spent several months developing the hospital’s wound care program prior to its opening in 2006. From its inception, she has served as the center’s manager and is wound care certified (WCC) and diabetic wound care certified (DWC).

“We were very much a part-time program when we first opened,” Brown said. “Today we are staffed with two nurses and Dr. Holloway, who sees a majority of our patients.”

In 2007, the Wound Care Center recorded 114 patient visits. That number climbed to 635 in 2008. In 2015, 832 patient visits occurred with even more visits anticipated this year.

“Each year we see a few more patients than the year before,” Brown explained. “Some patients need wound care once a week while other patients need it daily.”

Brown said the goal is to provide patients with quality wound care and assist them with other services they may need. This can include referrals for diabetic education, nutritional counseling, physical therapy, and diabetic shoes and compression stockings.

“We try to make things as convenient as possible for the patient,” she said.

According to the National Institutes of Health, chronic wounds affect approximately 6.5 million Americans. About $25 billion is spent annually on treatment of chronic wounds. The burden continues to grow due to increasing healthcare costs, an aging population, and a sharp rise in diabetes and obesity worldwide.

Is the Wound Care Center right for you?

Individuals that have a chronic sore or wound that fails to heal can benefit from the Wound Care Center. A chronic wound is one that has failed to improve significantly in a month or to heal entirely in two months. If left untreated, chronic wounds can lead to complications, such as infections or even limb amputations.

PCH staff work with a patient’s primary care provider to develop an individualized wound treatment plan. The goals are to facilitate wound healing, provide wound management education and lifestyle changes, and prevent wound recurrence. Services are provided on an outpatient basis and are available to hospitalized patients as well.

Ask your provider if the Wound Care Center is right for you. Or call the wound center at (217) 465-2606, Ext. 570.