The
Paragould Wound Healing Center, a department of St. Bernards in collaboration
with Arkansas Methodist Medical Center, hosted a formal open house Wednesday,
May 16, at the new facility.
Located at
One Medical Drive, Suite 201, in Paragould, the center offers specialized wound
care services at a convenient location for those who live in the greater
Paragould area.
Drs. Dwight
Williams, Lance Monroe, Alberto Fonticiella, Lowell Hardcastle and Coralee
McKay – all of Paragould – have completed
specialized training and certification to assess patients and develop wound
care protocols using the latest therapies for hard-to-heal wounds. The doctors
and staff are certified wound care and hyperbaric medicine experts who treat
both chronic and traumatic wounds that have not healed after 30 days of
traditional therapies.
Every year,
millions of Americans are affected by hard-to-heal wounds, often resulting from
complications of diabetes and chronic venous insufficiency. Many patients who
could benefit from wound healing therapies often experience pain, have
decreased mobility and may have lost time from work.
If
hard-to-heal wounds are not treated, they can become more painful and more
serious medical conditions can develop, with some of those requiring amputation
or possibly leading to life-threatening issues.
Every wound
has its own unique set of circumstances, and the staff at the Paragould Wound
Healing Center is prepared to help with all of them. Physicians and case
managers design individualized programs of care using proven protocols that
promote faster healing.
Among
symptoms that bring patients in are diabetic ulcers, lower leg ulcers,
gangrene, radiation burns, failing grafts and flaps, wounds on lower legs or
feet and surgical wounds. Professionals at the Paragould Wound Healing Center
use state-of-the-art technology along with a comprehensive care program,
delivering effective solutions with a common goal of achieving results in 16
weeks or less.
One of the
most unique kinds of treatments available at the center is hyperbaric oxygen
(HBO) therapy which increases oxygenation in tissue, encouraging faster healing
and fighting infections in patients who have wounds that do not respond to
other treatments. HBO involves daily treatments of the entire body with 100 percent
oxygen at greater than normal atmospheric pressures. Patients receive
hyperbaric oxygen treatments in a transparent cylindrical chamber as they rest
on a cot-like stretcher. Patients can see and can talk with healthcare
providers during treatments and watch television or movies.
Dr. Williams
will serve as medical director of wound care services, and Dr. Fonticiella will serve as medical director of
hyperbaric oxygen therapy services.
Patients can
be referred by a physician, or they can be self-referred in many cases. Most
treatments are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, HMOs or other private insurance.
The center
is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Additional
information can be secured or appointments can be scheduled by calling the
center a 870-240-8163.