La Grange
– Adventist La
Grange Memorial Hospital is proud to announce the Sept. 2 grand
opening of its new Wound
Care Center.
Located in the Treatment Pavilion on the hospital campus, the center employs
the most technologically advanced wound care therapy to specialize in the
treatment of chronic, non-healing wounds.
For most people, cuts and scratches
heal within days or weeks. But for those whose natural healing process is
hampered, a simple sore can become a complex medical problem. Without proper
treatment, these problem wounds can hamper physical activity, quality of life
and, in some cases, be debilitating. This growing problem is spurred by the
aging of America
and the increase in diabetes. Of the 18.5 million Americans with diabetes, an
estimated 1.8 million will suffer from a problem wound, experts say.
“We are excited to have added this
important service to our continuum of care,” said Karen Gonzalez, clinical
coordinator of the Wound
Care Center.
“Not only does the Wound
Care Center
complement the quality care already available at the hospital, but it also fills
an important need in the community. In the past, people may have had to travel
long distances to receive this level of wound care. Now we are able to offer
the latest techniques right here in our own community.”
An outpatient, hospital-based
program, the Wound
Care Center
works in conjunction with the patient’s primary care physician, serving as an
adjunctive service for the referring physician and specializing in the
treatment of problem wounds.
Dr. Fatima Jaffer will serve as the
medical director of the program and will be assisted by a team of experienced
physicians that specialize in general surgery, infection control, internal
medicine, podiatry and orthopedic surgery. Each physician will coordinate an
overall care plan for each patient, working in partnership with the patient’s
referring physician.
“We are excited to be able to
provide this much-needed addition to our program,” Jaffer said. “Our entire
multidisciplinary team of physicians and nurses are trained to provide
comprehensive treatment and care to the community.”
Open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the
program operates by appointment and requires a referral from the primary care
physician. For more information, call (708) 245-6655 or visit www.keepingyouwell.com.