Wound Care

Baldwin Health offers specialized, outpatient care for non-healing wounds, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The team of doctors, nurse practitioners and nurses provide treatments to promote healing of chronic wounds and help patients recover as quickly as possible.

We provide care for:

Diabetic foot ulcers
Venous stasis ulcers
Pressure ulcers
Skin tears
Post-surgical incisions
Radiation wounds
Burns
Traumatic injuries
Any wound that has not shown signs of improvement in 30 days

Who is at Risk?

The aging process increases everyone’s risk of developing a chronic, non-healing wound. A history of smoking and poor dietary habits such as a high-fat diet and obesity can increase a person’s risk of developing a non-healing wound. A family history of circulation problems also may contribute, and chronic conditions such as hypertension, liver disease, peripheral vascular disease and diabetes increase a person’s risk as well.

Diabetes Complications

People with diabetes are particularly prone to developing non-healing wounds and are at greater risk of developing complications from those wounds if not properly treated. Diabetes can lead to decreased blood circulation in the lower extremities and can affect the nervous system so that even if a wound develops (because of poorly fitting shoes, for example), the individual may not feel it. Increased blood sugar levels of a diabetic also can increase the risk of infection at the wound site. Proper treatment of these wounds can significantly decrease a person’s risk of having serious complications from an infection.

How to Start Healing

1. Generally, the physician who is treating your wound will refer you to one of our wound care centers. You can also make appointments directly by calling our Foley location (251) 949-3920 or Eastern Shore location (251) 928-9090.

2. When you contact us for your first appointment, the staff will ask a few questions about your wound and health in general.

3. Before beginning treatment, the team of doctors and nurses will thoroughly evaluate your wound and review your health and medical history.

4. Tests might be conducted to tell us more about your blood flow and tissue oxygenation, as well as to determine if there is any infection present.

5. Together with your physician, we will develop a treatment program based on our assessment of your special needs. Your program will likely involve regular visits to the wound care center. Your progress is documented and adjusted as necessary.

6. We communicate with your physician throughout your care. Once your wound is healed, you will return to your doctor for follow-up care. While being cared for by the wound care center staff, you may continue getting treatment from your other physicians for any related ailments such as diabetes and hypertension.