Wound Care Services | WVU Medicine Camden Clark

Wound Healing Center Overview

At the Wound and Hyperbaric Center, the patient experience includes a detailed history and assessment, individualized treatment plan, and coordination of care with appropriate services and specialties. In addition, patient care is multi-disciplinary, with input from board-certified specialists including vascular, infectious disease, general surgery, plastic surgery, and podiatry providers. We also work in support of the patient’s primary care physician, making communication a top priority.

Camden Clark Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center is an outpatient service offering comprehensive, coordinated advanced wound care including hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of chronic wounds. The program’s goal is to improve the outcome for patients who have failed to respond to traditional therapies alone and diminish the need for amputation. Working with the referring physician, the Camden Clark multi-specialty team develops a comprehensive treatment plan specific to the individual patient’s needs, which may include a combination of:

• Conventional and advanced wound dressings
• Antibiotic therapy
• Nutritional counseling
• Education and prevention techniques
• Hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Camden Clark’s Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center offers advanced solutions for problem wounds, along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The goal is to heal chronic wounds and prevent limb loss. Many patients who have suffered from chronic wounds are restored to health in a shorter time than they thought possible.

Types of Wounds Treated

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

What is a Comprehensive Wound Healing Center?  

The Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at WVU Medicine Camden Clark provides care to those suffering from chronic 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.

Our Multidisciplinary Wound Care Specialists

Our wound healing center is staffed with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, along with nurses and technicians with advanced training in wound care, who will customize the most effective treatment plan to stimulate healing.

Comprised of general physicians, vascular and plastic surgeons, podiatrists and infectious disease physicians, our team is dedicated to providing the most advanced healing options to patients, allowing them to recover as quickly and completely as possible.

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

Wound Care Treatment Plans

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
• Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy
• Skin substitutes
• Compression therapy
• Foot reconstruction
• Skin graft or flap

What Can Our Wound Care Patients Expect?  

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 treatment

Following your treatment is the single most important factor in your healing.

How to Make a Referral 

To make a referral to the Camden Clark Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center, fax a completed patient referral form to 304-420-7128. Forms can be mailed to you by calling 304-424-2228. Members of our physician panel will evaluate your patient to identify their specific needs. As a referring physician, you will be consulted regarding the proposed are plan for the patient. Please send all the patient’s recent diagnostic studies and care notes for use in his/her evaluation.