Wound Care

As a comprehensive wound healing center, we specialize in the treatment of all types of non-healing and difficult-to-heal wounds including:

• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Venous ulcers
• Pressure ulcers
• Non-healing, surgical wounds
• Arterial/ischemic ulcers
• Post-radiation injury to tissue or bone
• Traumatic wounds
• Infected wounds
• Crush injuries
• Compromised flaps or grafts

The Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at KCHS Wound Care provides care to those suffering from non-healing wounds in a way no other provider can – all in one location. A comprehensive Wound Healing Center is a coordinated outpatient center that utilizes the latest techniques and procedures to provide the best chance of healing.

For many people, cuts or sores naturally heal within a short period of time. However, in some cases, wounds fail to heal properly on their own, leading to extended hospital stays, high healthcare costs or potentially dangerous medical complications.¹ For those at risk, even the simplest of wounds can turn into a significant problem. Underlying medical problems such as diabetes, poor circulation, obesity or an impaired immune system help to contribute to the development of non-healing wounds. Seniors are also at a high risk for developing a chronic wound, with an estimated 3% of people over 65 having open sores in the United States.²

When the body is unable to heal a wound on its own, wound care is essential to avoid serious long-term complications. A multidisciplinary wound healing center can provide the specialized treatment options and medical expertise needed to support the body’s healing process, limit health complications and speed recovery.

Our Approach to Healing Wounds

A specialized wound healing center possesses highly skilled medical staff specialized in wound care treatment. These centers, like KCHS Wound Care, follow a multidisciplinary approach to aggressively treat non-healing wounds, supporting faster healing and better long-term outcomes.

Diagnostic Testing

Infections can lead to delayed wound healing and other serious complications like amputation. Every patient will be provided with a wound assessment to examine for signs of possible infection. This includes examining a wound for any redness, warmth, pain, odor or draining. Other diagnostic testing includes vascular testing, blood tests, x-rays and cultures.

Nutritional Evaluation

Good nutrition is an important part of the wound healing process. A comprehensive wound center assesses each patient’s nutrition, exercise and lifestyle choices and works with their primary care provider to create a nutrition plan that ensures the patient is getting the correct amounts of protein, vitamins and fluids needed for optimized wound healing.

Infection Control

The management and prevention of infection is necessary for patients with wounds. A comprehensive wound center will include a variety of methods in a patient’s care plan for infection control like debridement, cleansing and dressings.

Specialized Dressings

A comprehensive wound treatment center will consider many factors, such as durability, adaptability and goals, prior to selecting the appropriate dressing choice for each patient’s wound.

Pressure-Relieving Devices

Reducing the pressure or friction causing a wound is key to healing. Because of this, pressure-relieving devices are used to offload a wound, meaning that no weight or pressure is put on the area with a wound, oftentimes a foot or leg. There are many different pressure-relieving options, including specialty shoes, dressings, cushions, mattresses and casts.

Debridement

Debridement is the removal of dead or infected tissue from wounds. Patients of a comprehensive wound center will receive debridement as needed, even weekly, to keep their wound from further infection and promote growth of new tissues. Oftentimes considered a cornerstone of chronic wound care, this important step has shown to be a key factor in impacting healing time and outcomes.

Patient Education

Patient education is an ongoing process that starts with the patient’s first visit to a comprehensive wound treatment center and continues throughout the entire healing process. Patients are educated on common wound types and related conditions, along with wound prevention.

If you or a loved one has a wound, our team of experienced wound care specialists at the KCHS Wound Care Clinic is here to help. Healing wounds is our specialty, and even the most difficult wounds that have not responded to other treatments may see significant improvement at our comprehensive wound center.

REFERENCES

¹Olsson M, Järbrink K, Divakar U, et al. The humanistic and economic burden of chronic wounds: A systematic review. Wound Repair and Regeneration. 2018;27(1):114-125. doi:10.1111/wrr.12683.

²Sen CK. Human Wounds and Its Burden: An Updated Compendium of Estimates. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2021 Mar 31;10(5)

KCHS Wound Care is staffed with a multidisciplinary team who will customize the most effective treatment plan to stimulate healing.

As wound healing specialists, our clinicians have a proven track record of healing wounds – even those that have not responded to other treatments.

Non-healing wounds require a specialized approach to care for better outcomes. Critical to success is a committed multi-disciplinary team. At KCHS Wound Care we have the expertise needed to create a treatment plan that’s right for you.

Our approach to wound care is aggressive and comprehensive, coordinating traditional and advanced therapies and techniques that are proven to reduce healing time and improve healing rates.

Since non-healing wounds rarely result from a single cause, we begin with a thorough evaluation and diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of the wound. A treatment plan is then developed to give patients the best chance for healing. Most treatments are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, HMOs and other private insurance. Depending on the type of wound, the treatment plan may include:

• Infection control
• Restoration of blood flow
• Debridement (removal of dead tissue)
• Offloading
• Skin substitutes
• Compression therapy
• Foot reconstruction
• Skin graft or flap

Your course of treatment depends on what type of wound you have. During your first visit, our staff will evaluate your wound and review your medical history. You may also need special tests that give us information about circulation and infection. This will help to determine what course of treatment you will need.

Once a treatment plan has been prescribed, you will visit the wound healing center weekly for specialized treatments and documentation of your healing progress. Keeping appointments and following directions are critical to attaining a positive healing outcome. Some things you can do to assist with your healing:

• Care for your wound at home as directed by the wound care team
• Take medications as directed
• Return for your follow-up appointments
• Keep regular appointments with your primary care physician while you are receiving wound care treatmentFollowing your treatment is the single most important factor in your healing. Please don’t hesitate to contact us at 308.832.6535 or kenda.ekdahl@restorixhealth.com to learn more about our providers or treatment plans. We’re happy to clarify anything you feel uncertain about regarding the wound care treatment process.