MultiCare Wound Healing & Hyperbaric Services

The Advanced Wound Center at Capital Medical Center provides specialized treatment for chronic or non-healing wounds, which are defined as sores or wounds that have not significantly improved from conventional treatments. Associated with inadequate circulation, poorly functioning veins, and immobility, non-healing wounds lead to lower quality of life and may lead to amputations. When wounds persist, a specialized approach is required for healing.

That’s where our Advanced Wound Center can help. With state of the art treatments available that include wound debridement, application of cellular and tissue based dressings, offloading modalities to include diabetic shoes or total contact casting, as well as pressure redistribution devices, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and patient education, our community residents with non-healing and chronic wounds now have a place to turn. The Center uses an interdisciplinary model of care, including infectious-disease management, home health, laboratory evaluation, nutritional management, pain management, diabetes education, and other areas to address total patient health.

What to expect from your first appointment

Patients are mostly referred by their primary care physician, and the program operates by appointment. We will gladly work through self referrals also. Upon referral to our Wound Care Center, patients undergo a thorough diagnostic examination to identify the type of wound you have and the underlying problems causing the wound.

The initial appointment consists of a full assessment to determine the etiology of the wound, the appropriate classification and size of the wound, the overall health status of the patient and the patient’s ability to comply with needed therapies.

Based on the evaluation, a customized treatment plan is developed to optimize the therapies best suited to address the patient’s needs. Wound size and depth are documented at the initial visit, and again at each subsequent visit. Some of the diagnostic modalities which may be used include:

• Laboratory evaluation
• Radiology (including MRI)
• Vascular studies, electrocardiogram
• Ultrasound

After this determination, a program specifically tailored to your needs will be initiated based on the most effective treatment options. An interdisciplinary approach will be used to provide the maximum healing possible.

Specialized wound care is usually administered on an outpatient basis. Patients are free to drive themselves to the Center for therapy, and you should plan two-and-a-half to three hours for each visit.